WORK on a footpath giving people in a Horncastle estate access to the town centre could materialise after East Lindsey District Council found a missing file.
For three years, those living in certain areas of the Banovallum Gardens development off Spilsby Road have had no direct public access route to the town centre because of the absence of a footpath which should have already been completed by Bell & Sh
inn Developers.
But ELDC said they did not take enforcement action because of a mis-filed planning document which they have only just recovered.
Frank Hanson of Saxon Way in the estate said: "For too long, residents both young and old have been denied direct pedestrian access to and from the town centre."
He said people have to walk at least 20 minutes in the opposite direction before getting on to Spilsby Road.
He added: "It is a crazy situation and does nothing to encourage walking, particularly those who have to combine work with the demands of the school run, or those with limited mobility who need to access the town for shopping and other services on a daily basis."
The planning conditions stated that Bell & Shinn needed to complete the footpath, from Maltby Way to Albert Street, by the time the 20th home in Maltby Way was occupied but, even though there are more than this number lived in, work on the footpath has not even started let alone finished.
At one time, people would make use of a private road, Holt Lane to walk into town. But this was fenced off a few years ago.
Town and district councillor Fiona Martin said at a recent meeting of Horncastle Town council: "I find it crazy that they could lose a file in this day and age with computers.
"This is an important matter and it's not a good enough excuse, They should take enforcement action and that footpath should be there."
A spokesman for ELDC confirmed the planning file for the footpath application has now been found and a planning enforcement team is 'investigating the issues with a view to agreeing a way forward as quickly as possible'.
Greg Shinn of Bell & Shinn claimed they had been ready for a year to build the footpath but could not because of this missing file, a claim ELDC has denied.
"They could have started the work at any time," a council spokesman claimed.
