APPENDIX TWO
IMPROVING ACCESS TO THE ESTUARIES OF DEVON
AND CORNWALL
The coast of Devon and Cornwall extends to just
over 1,000 miles, of which 51% is open coast and 49% is estuarine
coast. The estuarine coast contains some of England's finest coastal
scenery—a quality that is recognised through many of the
estuaries being designated as AONB. These nationally important
estuarine landscapes are currently largely inaccessible due to
a lack of physical routes by which people can be encouraged to
access, enjoy and understand the coast.
Access to the estuarine coast could be significantly
enhanced through the proposals contained within the Consultation
on Access to the English Coast. However, Natural England's advice
to Defra in relation to the principle of taking the first permanent
pedestrian crossing point as the inland limit of the coastal access
zone is inappropriate in the context of the estuaries of Devon
and Cornwall. It places a serious obstacle in the way of improving
access to 226 miles of the estuarine coast in two of England's
most coastal counties (See Map One).
Map One
ESTUARIES OF DEVON AND CORNWALL
The Teign, Dart, Tamar, Fowey and Fal estuaries
contain almost half the estuarine coast in the two counties and
are served by permanent pedestrian ferry crossings close to the
estuary mouth. The ferry crossings are just a fraction of the
way up the estuary with, on average, 90% of the tidal area of
the estuary lying upstream. Under the current proposals almost
a quarter of the coast of Devon and Cornwall, some 226 miles,
will remain inaccessible.
It is understood that the rationale for adopting
the principle of the first permanent crossing point arose from
research undertaken in the east of England estuary complexes,
where bridging points are located well up estuary. However, the
principle of the first permanent pedestrian crossing point is
inappropriate when applied to estuaries where the estuary mouth
is served by a permanent ferry crossing. The Trust believes that
access should extend to the Normal Tidal Limit—unless by
exception—a case can be made locally to adopt a different
inland boundary to the coastal access zone.
A PARADOX WITHIN
THE FAL
AND HELFORD
ESTUARIES
The anomaly outlined above for the five affected
estuaries can be brought into sharper focus when considered in
the context of the Fal/Helford estuary complex (See Map Two).
The Fal and Helford estuary includes 105 miles of coast. Under
the proposed coastal access arrangements 68 miles (65%) of the
coast within this estuary will remain inaccessible.
The paradox is such that within a single estuary
system access to different parts of the estuary will vary significantly.
The Percuil and Helford branches will enjoy access to the Normal
Tidal limit, whilst the main part of the estuary focused around
the Carrick Roads and Upper Fal will remain largely inaccessible.
There is also a clear demand from the public
for improved access to the coast within estuaries. During mid
July to mid August 2007 The National Trust, with assistance from
the South West Coast Path Team, carried out an electronic visitor
monitoring exercise on a section of the South West Coast Path
National Trail at Zone Point (on the open coast of the Roseland
peninsula) and a section of Public Right of Way between St Mawes
and St Just (on the estuarine coast on the east side of the Carrick
Roads).
The results, from 00.00 on the morning of Tuesday
10 July 2007 to 24.00 in the evening of Monday 13 August, are
as follows:
Zone Point (South West Coast Path) total 2,877
St Mawes—St Just (Public Right of Way)
total 2,760
These results indicate that there is equal demand
for access to the open coast and the estuarine coast.
Map Two
FAL AND HELFORD ESTUARIES
CONCLUSIONS
Whether considered on a Devon and Cornwall wide
basis or in more detail within a single estuary such as the Fal,
it is clear that the principle of the first crossing point represents
a serious impediment to improving access to almost a quarter of
the coast in the two counties.
Beyond the far South West it is thought that
Poole Harbour will be similarly affected—and possibly some
of the estuaries and tidal rivers of the North East of England.
The Trust would ask Defra to adopt the Normal
Tidal Limit as the default inland boundary for coastal access
thus enabling a substantial improvement in access along the length
of the English coastline.
The National Trust
May 2008
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