Residents of Bawtry have been denied a Schedule 14 application to allow footpaths through Fish Pond Wood to become a public right of way. It comes after last year, when walkers made complaints to Doncaster Council after discovering that the wood had been blocked off from public use.

The area had been purchased by the owners of nearby Bawtry Hall and the Crown Hotel for potential development. Bawtry Hall is a historic Georgian country house which was used by the RAF’s Bomber Command during World War Two. It later became a Christian retreat and is now a luxury wedding venue.

In a Facebook post, the owners shared that walkers could apply for individual permits to access the popular trails around the wood. Backed by Bawtry Town Council, a group of residents lodged a Schedule 14 application to Doncaster Council. This would have legally recognised the routes within the wood as public rights of way, preventing the owners from blocking the area.

Bawtry Town Council shared their support in local newspaper the Bawtry Today, writing: “The Town Council supports the residents in seeking to have public rights of way recognised.”

Doncaster Council has now announced that the application has been refused.

While the council acknowledged that many use the routes regularly in its ruling, it highlighted that there had been no plans to dedicate a right of way until the area was blocked from the public. It further pointed out that parts of the area had been marked as private property since the 1990s, when it was owned by another company.

Following the application’s rejection, residents were invited to a meeting with the landowners at the Crown Hotel. The owners reiterated that residents could apply for free permits to roam the wood, under the condition that they do not attempt to appeal the council’s decision. No appeal has been lodged currently, and the landowners will reportedly begin issuing permits next month.

Bawtry Hall: Walkers denied access to footpath through popular woodland by hotel and wedding venue owners