About Us
Faversham Footpaths Group was formed in June 2015 with the aim of preserving, maintaining and promoting the use of public rights of way and ‘permissive paths’ in Faversham and the surrounding area. We also wish to encourage the creation of more public footpaths. The Group’s full objectives and agenda are as follows:
- To assert and protect the rights of the public to the use and enjoyment of footpaths, bridleways and byways in Faversham and the surrounding area.
- To prevent, by making representations to the appropriate public authorities or by any other lawful means, the obstruction of public paths.
- To ensure that public rights of way are adequately signposted and way marked and are satisfactorily maintained.
- To resist proposals for the extinguishment or diversion of rights of way whenever, in the opinion of the Group, they would be contrary to the public interest.
- To press for the creation of new public rights of way.
- To encourage the designation of existing public paths.
- To organise walks and to encourage the use of public paths in Faversham and the surrounding area.
- To support, and where appropriate affiliate to, other organisations which share the objects of the Group.
The Group has been affiliated to the Ramblers Association since December 2017.
A copy of the Group’s constitution and rules is here The Group’s data protection policy is here: FFG Data Protection Policy May 2018[1]
The Group has taken a keen interest in Natural England’s work to devise a route for the King Charles III English coastal path through Faversham and around the close perimeter of Faversham Creek. This includes the new housing schemes on the east side of the Creek from Posillipos’s Restaurant through to Standard Quay. We have also successfully led the campaign for a Creek-side footpath at Faversham Reach and Waterside Close and the re-routing of KCC PROW footpath ZF1 at Oare Creek.
We have also campaigned for improvements at Flood Lane, the adoption of the Tram Road at Hollow Shore and the creek-side path at the Home Bargains Store, together with the installation of the new pedestrian gate at the store’s entrance from Flood Lane.
In addition to the above, we are in constant contact with Rail Track over rail crossings and KCC PROW over safety aspects to local public footpaths. Recently we have obtained permission from Lorenden Countryside Park for the residents of Painters Forstal to have, for safety reasons, a newly positioned ‘Kissing Gate’ closer to Vicarage Lane installed at the Eastling Road entrance of the park.
Another aspect of the Groups work is to monitor future housing developments, ensuring that any PROW public footpaths or Permissive Paths are not affected by the planning applications for such schemes, and undertake to offer assistance in any diversions that may have to be put into place.
The Group’s elected Executive Committee comprises:
- Trevor Payne (Chair)
- Ashley CM Sayewell (Treasurer)
- Robin Sayewell (Secretary)
- Andrew Osborne
- Anne Salmon
- Cllr Julian Saunders
- Linda Harrison
- Chris Oswald-Jones (non voting member)
- Adrian Oliver (non voting member)
The Group currently has around seventy members.