The Kent Law Clinic has successfully defended 4 orders that four public rights of way should be available for Adisham villagers to walk. Making national news, the campaign that has lasted for many years has been won!
More than a dozen Law Clinic students, including Klara Holdstock, Katarzyne Burdzy, Marta Konieczna, Nathan Klein and Jim Kapches, assisted the applicants and their witnesses in compiling evidence for submission to Kent County Council and later for the Inquiry.
The result: 3 footpaths and a bridleway are now available for the villagers to walk through “beautiful ancient woodlands in peace.” (John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Law Clinic).
In March 2005 local residents David and Sigrid Leidig with evidence from over 100 villagers, applied for the rights of way to be added to the definitive map. In accordance with s53 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Kent County Council made the Orders to add the rights of way to the map in 2009. The landowner (of most of the land) objected and a Public Inquiry was held in 2010. 25 witnesses in support of the application gave evidence, alongside 5 witnesses for the objector (including Lord and Lady Hawarden who own part of the land). The Inspector confirmed the Orders, entitling public access to the routes through the ancient woodland adjoining the village of Adisham.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1299646/Get-land-Queens-banker-battle-close-Chaucers-footpath-Canterbury.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7922529/Former-Cazenove-banker-tackles-villagers-over-Canterbury-Tales-path.html
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/get-off-my-land-banker-tells-ramblers-6498955.html