Following the closure of the gap in the hedge on Cooper Road Play Park to access the field there were concerns expressed to us by the community, as to what paths were permissible for access. Secondly there were further concerns expressed that both Butts lane and the path from the park towards Butts Lane, behind Rushmer Way, were impassable. Some kind residents had attempted to clear the junction and access to Butts lane and had removed all the vegetation debris as well. Thank you for your efforts.

Working with North Norfolk District Council Assets team, NNDC Environmental Services Team and also the Norfolk County Council Trails team the following has been established and solutions found. Details of which are shown on the map below and the satellite image of the area and explained in more detail below.

1. The path from the Cooper Road park to Butts lane behind Rushmer Drive is in the ownership of NNDC and the public do have the right to access this path to join/exit Butts Lane .

2. NNDC are responsible for the maintenance of this path and have requested contractors to attend and address the overgrown parts of it.

3. NNDC have also had the maintenance of this path added to the contractors schedules of works and so it will continue to be maintained and should continue to be accessible.

4. The trees adjacent to the NNDC path,which are of concern to residents on Rushmer way will be assessed by the NNDC Countryside Team and any action considered necessary for safety will take place.

5. The 2 paths identified on NCC maps and OS which cross the field and join Butts Lane and then continue to Eastwood are not permissible routes. Anyone following these routes is according to NCC trespassing on the farmers land. The farmer is therefore within his rights to restrict entry through the hedge, as he has done.

6. Butt’s Lane (Sheringham FP27) is under the responsibility of NCC, who currently have this path cut three times a year, though the exceptional growth has meant the vegetation has grown quicker and denser this year. Within 3 weeks of the first cut the path was already overgrown again. NCC will review the cutting contract as they do each year so the management of this path will be looked at going forwards. An additional cut has already taken place this year.

7. If people find the Butts Lane path to be overgrown and inaccessible then please report directly to NCC via the link below, quoting Sheringham FP27 Butts Lane https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/road…/roads/report-a-problem…

8. Eastwood is a private wood and members of the public do not have the automatic right to walk on this private land.

We hope this helps explain the current situation and people will respect the farmer’s rights, stick to the permissive paths and will not be crossing the field potentially damaging crops. There is a permissible public path available which enables residents to access exactly the same points on Butts Lane. We hope that residents will make use of this permissible path now the maintenance issues have hopefully been resolved on both NNDC and NCC land.