Carmarthenshire County Council / Cyngor Sir Gâr

Gwrthwynebu

Ail Gynllun Datblygu Lleol Adneuo Diwygiedig Sir Gaerfyrddin

ID sylw: 5488

Derbyniwyd: 13/04/2023

Respondent ID: 5803

Ymatebydd: Mrs Jacqui Kedward

Cydymffurfio â’r gyfraith? Heb nodi

Cadarn? Heb nodi

Crynodeb o'r Gynrychiolaeth:

General objection to the Policies of the LDP in not catering for the needs of equestrians:
I would like to raise the point that the LDP should take account of this need for land to include horses and carriage drivers on routes for non motorised users. This would ensure horse riders don’t have to transport their horses in vehicles but instead can access our communities on hoof. Where this isn't possible, horse riders need land for parking horse transport as if they can’t ride to safe sites for riding then they need to be able to park. Horse riders appear in the Planning Policy technical advice for leisure activities with walking and cycling but there is provision for them embedded in other policy but not for horse riders. The LDP needs to more robustly provide for horse riders as a leisure activity wanting countryside access, access to parks and green space.

Newid wedi’i awgrymu gan ymatebydd:

No specific changes specified.

Testun llawn:

I would like to make the following comments in the LDP.

Since the creation of the Active Travel Act and the funding provided by Welsh Government for walking and (mainly) cycling, horse riders have lost informal access to our communities and the countryside because for some reason horse riders are not eligible for the funding.

I would therefore like to raise the point that the LDP should take account of this need for land to include horses and carriage drivers on routes for non motorised users.

This would ensure horse riders don’t have to transport their horses in vehicles but instead can access our communities on hoof.

Where this isn't possible, horse riders need land for parking horse transport as if they can’t ride to safe sites for riding then they need to be able to park.

It is just as unsafe for children on ponies to be on the road as it is for children on cycles and the incident statistics for Carmarthenshire from the BHS indicate these have doubled.

We are reminded that horse riders are not "transport" but are considered a leisure activity but there is no mention in the LDP specifically about equestrian sports or sites where we can go to to ride safely.

Horse riders appear in the Planning Policy technical advice for leisure activities with walking and cycling but there is provision for them embedded in other policy but not for horse riders.

The LDP needs to more robustly provide for horse riders as a leisure activity wanting countryside access, access to parks and green space, (not a menage or riding schools).

This requires land allocation in order to ensure horse riders are not discriminated against as is currently happening under the planning policies.

For health and well being and future generations of equestrians, we need to recover access we have lost and gain consideration alongside other vulnerable road users. By excluding horse riders under Active Travel as transport, they need provision as leisure users so at the very least, any leisure routes need to include equestrians.

Not all routes for walking are public footpaths, so not all routes for horses need to be bridleways. If horse riders can’t share a route then an alternative should be provided for them.

Atodiadau:

email - redacted (438.31 KB)

Ein hymateb:

Noted.
Welsh Government Active Travel Guidance (July 2021) Paragraph 1.3.6. This recognises equestrianism as "overwhelmingly for leisure purposes rather than as a mode of transport as it rarely displaces a car journey." Criterion b) of policy TRA2, in contributing to the delivery of the Councils duties under the provisions of the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013, recognises the contribution that Improvements, connections and/or extensions to PROW which specifically includes Bridleways can have. Indeed, the policy encourages incorporating them within the site, and/or through financial contributions delivery off-site provision.
Whilst the Plan seeks to recognise and make provision for improvements, connections and/or extensions it is not its role as a land use planning document to identify new networks (including safe off and on road networks) unless specifically identified elsewhere.

It is also not the role of the Revised LDP to deal with matters such as charging to access to other areas, restricted use or road safety. All such matters outside the remit of the Plan and would be considered through other forms of guidance, plans or strategies. In this respect the Plan in its preparation has had regard to other Plans and strategies as well as national planning guidance in developing its content and particularly the Rights of Way Improvement Plan noting the interrelationship of the Plan area's footpaths, bridleways and bye-ways and linked leisure opportunities.