1.  Our thanks for inviting views from interested parties into the Government's proposals for coastal access.

  2.  Dorset County Council currently manage the Dorset section of the South West Coast Path, together with a coastal footpath/access network, which enables residents and visitors to enjoy the county's superb coastline. Much of the coastline is within Dorset's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, designated SSSI, or lies within the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site.

  3.  Access to, and along, the coast is greatly valued. In many respects here in Dorset the Government's vision for coastal access already exists and the County Council has been highly instrumental in delivering it. In the light of that experience the Council took considerable interest in the Government's consultation and submitted a questionnaire response.

  4.  The provisions of the draft Bill and the outline scheme published by Natural England certainly go some way to addressing a major practical difficulty experienced in places on the coast where linear access along coastal rights of way is broken, threatened or made unpleasant by coastal erosion processes. A process which will help satisfy the need for continuous linear access to be "rolled back" but which meets genuine landowner concerns would be of great benefit—but this mechanism needs to be well clarified, well thought through, and easy to administer. This particularly applies when an access corridor runs up against a range of development, from urban to, for example, golf courses and caravan sites.

  5.  The issue of occupier's liability has been addressed, and is broadly welcomed, but again needs to be fully clear to all concerned.

  6.  The question of compensation will be one demanding considerable attention. A carefully thought through set of funding mechanisms and incentives will have to be in place in our view if proposals, particularly "roll back" are to be effective for all involved.

  7.  This will again focus attention on the County Council's chief concern which is that in its experience excellent management of access on the ground is key to the success of access in what can be difficult terrain. This needs to be adequately funded by the Government not only for initial investment in infrastructure, but for ongoing maintenance and management in the very long term. Little is said on this matter but it is crucial to the success of the vision, and the full partnership of Local Access Authorities.

  8.  The County Council would be happy to provide any further information to the Committee if requested.

Hilary Cox

Cabinet Member for the Environment Directorate, Dorset County Council

May 2008