LANDOWNERS at the centre of a row over moving a gate on to an ancient drovers’ path on Dartmoor have defended their actions after obtaining compensation from the national park authority.

Jenny and Bob Perryman of Holwell Manor near Middlemoor at Whitchurch Down moved a gate on their land a few metres up the path to Shorts Down.

They say they obtained permission from the DNPA to do this to make it easier for them to move their cattle.

However the move sparked an outcry from users of the path, who petitioned the DNPA for the gate to be returned to its original position.

This the authority did, sparking a further complaint, this time from the Perrymans.

Now the couple have accepted an apology from the DNPA for not following ‘due process’ in moving the gate back without consulting them.

Mrs Perryman said: “Dartmoor National Park acted in haste when moving the gate at Middlemoor. The success of the petition led by Middlemoor residents Ann and Peter Sawyer may be short-lived as the DNP admitted not following due process in illegally replacing the gate to its original position, and apologised to us and agreed a settlement.”

Mrs Perryman said the Holwell Estate had had a cordial relations with the park for over 40 years and this ‘unfortunate incident’ had come about due to what she said was “the misguided, vociferous and hysterical petition presented to them”.

The local residents and other users of the path were concerned that moving the gate could be a prelude to large scale development at Holwell. However Mrs Perryman said they had been ‘misinformed’.

“Never at any time was the ancient footpath in danger, only to be made safer,” she said. “The entrance gate and track at the bottom end of the old drovers’ path is owned by the Holwell Estate and has been used for centuries for access to the rear fields of the estate,” she said.

“Any other work that the petitioners implied, such as unregulated demolition, widening of the track and resurfacing would require planning permission. If and when any future application were to be submitted then that would be the time to object, thus avoiding wasting the time of officers of the national park.”

The Perrymans are to meet officers from the national park authority in the new year to discuss a way forward over the path, with Mrs Perryman saying: “I will take the strength of the petitioners’ feelings into consideration when it comes to the gate and my consultations with the DNPA.”

A spokesperson for the Dartmoor National Park Authority said: “The authority recognises this has been an emotive issue for all involved and that, in undertaking the gate removal work, due process wasn’t followed. We’re sorry this happened, and we have since examined, improved and updated our guidance to ensure issues like this are avoided in the future.”