MEMBERS of a Knutsford Town Council committee have voted to appeal a decision which declined its previous request to claim a King Street ginnel as a public footpath.

Cheshire East Council’s Public Rights of Way (PROW) committee ruled earlier in March that the cut-through between King Street and Old Market Place car park belonged to the landowner - Piccolino restaurant - and should not be adopted as a public footpath.

The key issue on which the committee based its decision was a sign stating that the land was private property and not a public footpath.

Last week, the town council’s environment committee decided to follow the course of action recommended in a report by deputy town clerk Lisa Benskin, which involves an appeal - free of charge - against the PROW committee decision.

The report read: “The pictures of the sign provided showed that there had been significant ivy coverage which was cleared for the recently taken photographs as well as a flower shop display in the same location as the sign. The landowner presented emails from two witnesses who stated that the sign had been visible for the 20-year period.

“Of the 14 witnesses supporting the KTC application, only two recalled ever seeing any sign, in the many years of usage. There was much debate from the committee on the application.

“During this discussion, it was suggested that KTC may have been selective about the evidence submitted as so many of the witnesses could not recall seeing the sign. This is not the case, all evidence received by officers has been submitted in May 2016 and the suggestion of a sign being present was only notified to KTC a few days before the scheduled hearing.

“The deputy town clerk recommends appealing the decision based on the fact that the reasoning given by the committee for their decision does not accord with the evidence before them.”