Lib Dem councillor tells ramblers to keep walking across Donnington Grove

12.14.05am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 22nd Aug 2005

Lib Dem councillor Tony Vickers (Northcroft ward) has responded to Donnington Grove's application to divert centuries old footpaths by telling ramblers to "keep on walking".

The golf club is asking West Berkshire Council for permission to move the paths following a row over the construction of a new club house.

The golf club wants to host a prestigious 'English Open" at the course but needs to build a new club house first. As part of the planning consent, the council added clauses stipulating the club maintain and renovate two footpaths running across its grounds.

But the club believes the footpaths are too close to the fairway, making it dangerous for walkers to use them and have applied to have them moved to the edge of the course.

Local residents are battling the application, as they believe walkers are being slowly pushed off the grounds so the golf club can build houses - a claim the golf club deny.

Now Mr Vickers has stepped behind a campaign to encourage walkers to keep using the paths following a meeting with the local Ramblers Association.

Mr Vickers said: "I have studied the case being made by the golf club. While I understand their safety argument, I don't agree that all these paths will put walkers in serious danger. Closing them will force people onto surrounding busy roads."

Mr Vickers has been invited to discuss the situation with the golf club and plans to bring Ramblers Association representatives with him in the hope of reaching a solution.

Mr Vickers added: "The Council's officials are bound to stick to a set procedure which makes it very hard to achieve a sensible outcome. I remain convinced that with good will and common sense we can have better golf and safer, more pleasant walking."