UPDATE: 29 January 2026:
At its next meeting, the Parish Council will further consider its response to B&NES Council regarding the proposed diversion of Public Footpath BA27/47 (near The Shallows), taking into account new material information provided by B&NES and a request for clarification of SPC’s formal position. SPC has been given until 4 February to respond with its resolved view.
Please view SPC’s February 2026 agenda for more information including Public Time (and draft minutes / minutes once published on our ‘Meetings – Agendas and Minutes‘ page).
Original article:
B&NES Council, the responsible authority of Public Rights of Way, is consulting on a proposed diversion of Public Footpath BA27/47, The Shallows, Saltford.
Saltford Parish Council will resolve its response to this consultation at its Tuesday 6 January meeting, which takes place in the Avon Room at Saltford Hall (7:15pm start). Further meeting details are below.
SPC has received the following information from B&NES Council:
The general effect of the proposal is shown on the attached plan [download a PDF here]:
The section of the footpath commencing from grid reference ST 6871 6692 at point A on the plan and proceeding in a generally east-northeasterly direction to grid reference ST 6875 6694 at point C, via point B, would be stopped up, as shown by a continuous black line. The new line of the footpath would commence from point D at grid reference ST 6871 6691 and proceed to point C, as shown by a dashed black line.
It should be noted that the previously-used (but now blocked) stoned path lying immediately to the right of the proposed new line of the public footpath at point D on The Shallows (and continuing, unstoned, through the garden of The Riverside public house) is not and has never been the legal line of Public Footpath BA27/47. The legal line of the public footpath has always been the recently re-opened route running along the edge of the riverbank in front of the moored houseboats.
The above changes are proposed in the interests of the occupiers of the relevant land, to divert the public footpath away from the middle of their garden, to its edge. The changes would be achieved by way of a diversion order made under section 119 of the Highways Act 1980.
If you have any comments regarding the above proposals, please ensure that they are received by the B&NES Council Public Rights of Way team by no later than 8th January 2026.
Email: prow@bathnes.gov.uk
Postal address: PROW, Bath and North East Somerset Council, Lewis House, Manvers Street, Bath, BA1 1JG
SPC agenda item – 6 January 2026
Further to the information received above, the B&NES Council consultation is listed as an item to resolve on SPC’s January 2026 agenda under Item 17.
Further information about SPC’s meetings, including Public Engagement Guidelines, are on SPC’s page at ‘Meetings – Agendas and Minutes‘. Members of the public are welcome to attend and speak during ‘Public Time’, and to stay to listen to the Council’s discussion and decision.
Draft minutes from SPC’s meetings are usually published on the above page and SPC’s noticeboard c.1 week following the meeting.
Members of the public are reminded to respond directly to the B&NES Council consultation (not to SPC) by the consultation end date stated so that their views can be taken into account by the decision making authority.
More information about B&NES Council’s Public Rights of Way (PROW) team can be found on the B&NES Council website at https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/public-rights-way