VILLAGERS are campaigning to protect an ancient moorland track they claim is under threat from development.

Middlemoor residents are being urged by a group of fellow villagers to write to planners and lobby their councillors to raise awareness of the perceived threat to the ancient drovers track leading from Middlemoor up to Shorts Down. The stoney track is a popular route for locals and others to walk up onto the moor and onward to Plaster Down and Pew Tor above the village.

However, they are worried the track could become a route for traffic serving the nearby Holwell Manor estate. The estate owner, Mr. Bob Perryman, who also owns the beginning of this recorded ancient drovers way, said the villagers’ fears were completely unfounded.

Residents are gathering a petition to send to Dartmoor National Park planning authority to raise awareness of some actions they claim is prelude to the estate being developed and to the need for traffic access.

Ann and Pete Sawyer live next to the entrance to the footpath. Ann said ‘We don’t want to wait until it’s too late and we have traffic using this footpath. It’s hundreds of years old and totally unsuitable as a road, as is the approach road.

‘We want anyone who wants to keep the track for riders and walkers to write to the National Park and their councillors to point out what we think is happening before it’s too late.’

Peter said ‘We know there’s no planning applications gone in for anything, but we want the planners and councillors to know the strength of feeling early on, to pre-empt anything which threatens the recorded ancient footpath.’

The protestors evidence includes the moving of the public path lower entrance gate to next to a junction to a second private direct access track to the estate and the widening of this second track.

James and Gill Allenby are also worried about the future of their favourite walk. ‘We need to be reassured the track won’t be effectively become a road, but it doesn’t look good at this moment.

Bob Perryman said: ‘This is all bunkum. It’s not true. It’s all imagined by some of my neighbours. The reason for the gate being moved is so I can bring sheep down from the moor and hold them up at the gate before I take them along the track to my barns. There really is nothing to worry about.’

The road to the path is owned by Tavistock Town Council which confirmed no applications for consents for use of its land in Middlemoor had been received or granted: ‘A vigorous approach could be expected in relation to any unauthorised works/activities’, said the council.