Footpath reopens a year on from ownership row

A popular footpath at the centre of a row between homeowners and a city council has reopened after a year.

Known as a twitten, the path stretches from Woodland Drive to Woodland Avenue in Hove, East Sussex.

It had been blocked since October last year by a broken wall which had blown over in a storm.

After a dispute with neighbours over ownership, Brighton & Hove City Council confirmed it had reopened the path on Tuesday evening.

The council had been speaking with the householder who owned the wall to get it repaired, but the house had since been put up for auction with no repairs having taken place.

Neighbours on the other side of the twitten had said the path was on private land and that they had been allowing permissive access since moving in 22 years ago.

But after being registered as a public footpath, a notice was submitted to allow the removal of unsafe sections of the wall and reopen the path.

Trevor Muten, the council's cabinet member for transport, parking and public realm, told BBC Radio Sussex: "I was out there yesterday, I was really pleased the contractors have finished it, made it safe, cleared it.

"We've put a new fence up to protect the public and now it's open, as of yesterday evening, and people can go through there no problem at all."

He admitted the long process to reopen the path had been "a journey".

"We do thank the residents for being patient. The twitten is now officially a public footpath, which is wasn't before," he added.

"We'd encourage residents in that area to enjoy the access it provides."

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