Brancaster coast path's delayed reopening sees council criticised

A county council has been criticised over delays in reopening part of a coastal footpath.

The mile-long (1.6km) stretch of the Norfolk Coast Path was shut by the local authority due to safety fears.

The boardwalk at Brancaster, between Harbour Way and Butcher's Drove, closed last summer because it had deteriorated so badly.

Brancaster resident Simon Bax said the closure was "damaging both to residents and tourists".

He added: "The absence of any timetable to rectify the situation is unacceptable."

Norfolk County Council, which manages the boardwalk, said it understood the frustration, but safety issues had forced its hand, the Local Democracy Reporting Service stated.

A spokesman said: "The decision to close the path was taken as an emergency as, due to its current condition, there is a risk of injury to the public and we have a duty of care in ensuring that the path is safely maintained.

"Unfortunately, repairs are not straightforward due to the complex nature of the site, its archaeology and the sensitivity of its wildlife."

County Hall said it originally identified 37 defects with the boardwalk timbers in June last year, with a fix expected by the end of July.

But work was delayed as more issues were found, with 83 timbers thought to be affected by rot caused by wood-eating fungi.

"The scope of work has changed from maintenance to full replacement and we are working on finding the best and most sustainable solution," the council spokesman said.

The issue has been blamed on increased footfall in the pandemic and warm summers creating perfect conditions for fungi to take hold.

Mr Bax said: "I suggest an explanation is provided as to why the original works were not carried out when scheduled and why no action was taken until December."

All repair work must be approved by the landowner, the National Trust, as well as Natural England and Historic England.

The council's ecology and trails teams will meet Natural England at the end of January to discuss plans.

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