Impact Statement

Between 27th May 2010 and 5th July 2010 Shropshire Wildlife Trust (SWT) deliberately obstructed my legal right of way by replacing the original ten foot gate which separates Cramer Gutter field and Catherton Common with a specifically designed four foot gate.

 

The Trust has claimed ignorance of my use of the route over the years.

 

The charity’s unlawful action is confirmed by Chris B in a statement documented here. **Evidence of a track via the Cramer Gutter reserve.

 

The Trust’s Reserves Manager Carl P stipulated witness statements documenting 20 years or more continuous vehicular access without force, secrecy or permission for the Cramer Gutter route only, on production of the evidence the Trust would reinstate the vehicular access to the property.

 

This very specific evidence which is the criteria for a Prescriptive Right of Way, was submitted to the Trust on 27^th May 2015. The Trust reneged, it claimed that the site was too sensitive to allow vehicular access, the charity demanded that the only route I could use was the Jack Mytton Way, a route which has been badly damaged over the years and is wholly unsuitable for my use.

 

Collectively Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Natural England appear to have forgotten that the Cramer Gutter track was used by a variety of vehicles before and after the field was reclassified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The track was historically in use not only with the Natural England’s knowledge but also that of Shropshire Wildlife Trust.

 

My property has deteriorated over the years. It has been vandalised with broken windows this and water damage from 2011 has still not been repaired. My son and I have been denied vehicular access to the property, something that we enjoyed (as did others before us) until the Trust purchased Catherton Common and installed the restrictive gate.

 

The Trust was well aware of my vehicular use of the route as their statements confirm, please see Evidence: Statements of Truth.  We have been threatened with prosecution if we attempted to drive via the Jack Mytton Way, however, as can be seen in the photographs vehicles continue to use this route without restraint, causing industrial scale damage to a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

 

Sections of the track have been resurfaced at the entrance to Cramer Gutter Lane, inside the Cramer Gutter field (SSSI) at Cramer Gutter brook, on Catherton Common (SSSI), a water pipe has also been installed.

 

Yet I have been told that I cannot install a track.

 

Over the last 14 years I have had to pay yearly insurance, utility bills and second home council tax on a property that we have been denied use and benefit of. We have over the years had to rent numerous holiday homes when more than one days work has to be done, all of this amounts to a huge amount of money which has been wasted. My son has lost valuable employment along with the parishioners that we wanted to employ, all due to the lack of vehicular access.

 

Both Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Natural England have a duty of care and a responsibility for their actions.

 

The Trust’s Chief Executive Officers and Trustees (current and retired) continued procrastination is wholly unethical and it appears to be with malice, their actions have had a profound impact on our lives, we have endured considerable anguish and privation, this has directly impacted on our health and well being, we have suffered considerable financial loss. I have tried to accommodate the charity’s demands both realistic and unrealistic, I even involved a mediator (18th March 2014 to 24th July 2018), yet we are no further forward, the Trust have with Natural England wasted 14 years of our lives.

 

The Land Registry has recognised that I have a Prescriptive Right of Way with vehicles and at all times this was registered on 27^th September 2022, Shropshire Wildlife Trust withdrew its objection without any pre-conditions, Natural England did not offer an opinion.

 

The ten foot gate was replaced in the first week in August of 2018, but vehicular acess is still denied due to the deplorable state of the track, it has now fallen into complete disrepair.

 

I have even offered to pay to have the track installed all to no avail.