The Three Grids of Chagford

SX 70510 85941

(Weddicott Cross)

SX 70180 84963

(Langaford Bridge)

SX 70318 85183

(East Stiniel Waste)

Never mind the 'Wars of the Roses' there's the 'War of the Grids' at Chagford' and the battle lines have been drawn, on one side you have the local commoners, DEFRA, the Dartmoor National Park Authority, and the NFU whilst on the other are some local residents and conservationists. The battle is being fought on the three commons that lie to the south of Chagford, namely Meldon, Nattadon and Stiniel. Well to be exact it's not being fought on the commons as much as over three cattle grids that are proposed to be sited near them, yes three cattle grids. Why bother writing a page on an argument over three cattle grids? Because this is a prime example how today tax payers' money can be wasted because two sides can't agree over the most simplest of things.

The story actually begins back in the 1990s when a scheme was proposed by the Dartmoor National Park and the Highways Authorities' proposed a plan that would establish a network of cattle grids to contain the animals that graze upon the commons. This was introduced to stop the animals from wandering into the town where although popular with the tourists they were causing problems for traffic and townsfolk. The scheme was only partially implemented and whilst stopping the animals entering the town it never prevented them from going southwards onto (and beyond) the B3212 which is the main road from Moretonhampstead to Princetown. Clearly, animals straying on a busy road can cause a hazard to motorists and over the years there have been three incidents involving moorland strays from the Chagford commons. So, the Chagford Commoners Association requested that the original scheme be completed which would mean that their stock which grazed upon the commons could not venture southwards onto the moor. This could be done by installing new cattle grids at strategic points which would keep them away from the B3212. Discussions were held between DEFRA, Devon County Council, the Chagford Commoners Association and the Dartmoor National Park Authority. In 2004 the Commoners Association and DEFRA agreed to fund the majority of such a scheme to the sum of £23,000 and the National Park Authority consented to contribute £3,000 from their Traffic Management budget. Devon County Council said they would cover the undisclosed costs of design although I can't see that being a tremendous amount? So, one would have thought that was quite straightforward, three cattle grids, carefully placed to block access to the B3212 at a minimum cost of £8,666.66p each. Yes, it does seem a lot of money for a hole, some fencing and a few steel tubes but there we are. The map below shows the proposed locations of the new cattle grids, the road system to the south of Chagford and the habitations around the grid sites:

These proposals were duly advertised and seventeen (Chagford parish population in the 2001 census was about 1,470) objections against the cattle grids were lodged thus giving the necessity of a public hearing to be held. Once this was announced both DEFRA and Devon County Council decided that such a beast would cost several thousand pounds that they could not justify spending. The County Council further added that the evidence of the time did not warrant their support for the grids. Chagford Parish Council then wrote to the National Park Authority asking for their support for the installation of the grids by persuading the County Council to reverse its abandonment of the scheme. In September 2005 the National Park Authority noted the following:

"The Authority's standing offer of £3,000 towards installation is an indication of practical support for the conservation ends of the project, but in view of the number of objections to the proposals, a public inquiry would enable their views to be properly taken into account and inform an appropriate decision".

Now isn't that typical, "yeah, but no, but yeah, but no...", as another comedian actually says it. And so we come on to December 2007 when the actual three day (10th, 11th and 12th) public inquiry is to be held after which an outcome hopefully reached. Amongst those attending will be the National Farmers Union head of communications and Professor. Ian Mercer, chairman of the Dartmoor Commoners' Association (and former chief executive of the Dartmoor National Park Authority). When asked about his views on the matter Professor Mercer told a reporter from the Western Morning News:

"I cannot speak for them - and I am making assumptions here - but there are two main groups and one is made up of farmers. I can only think, for them, there must be some kind of personality clash. I can't see why they're objecting. The other group is made up of the people who don't want change - people (blow-ins in other words) who've come here to live and like it the way it is. And there are some horse riders who don't want to get off their horses to open gates".

But what are the objections to the cattle grids? Concerns that cattle grids may focus animal activity around them, noise, and them being a, "part of creeping suburbanisation", oh, and they along with their fences may spoil the natural beauty of the area. As you can see northern grid at Stiniel Waste (Common) would be about a third of a mile from any habitation whilst the southern grid is roughly half a mile away. This only leaves the one at Weddicott Cross which would possibly affect three houses. These are hardly busy motorways they a small Devon lanes that do not get a lot of traffic and so what little noise there will be is going to be minimal. The only time cattle grids make a noise is when a car crosses them at speed, if you look at the proposed sites they are in narrow lanes with bends where speeding is impossible. As to creeping suburbanisation, if cattle grids are an element of this there is only one way they can creep from rural areas into suburbia not the other way around. As to spoiling the beauty of the area, surely the whole reason they are sunk into the road is to otherwise minimise the impact that a six bar gate would make? Incidentally, who is going to fund the several thousand pound three day inquiry? Well you are - via the DEFRA coffers. Why, oh why did not a JCB simply pull up dig a hole and be done with it, within a few months this fuss would all be forgotten and the conservationists would have found something else to whinge about. Farmers have enough problems trying to earn a living and the threat of any loss of livestock is the last thing they need to worry about especially when JUST three cattle grids would ensure the safety of their animals! Gates, walls, barbed-wire and cattle grids are all part an parcel of today's farming landscape those who were born and bred amongst such things realise their worth unlike those who blow-in and expect a rural landscape like Constable used to paint.

Some people may ask what right have I to comment on this matter, well if you look on the above map you will see that one of the habitations marked is Lower Cordon and up to a few years ago I lived there and am well acquainted with moorland beasts wandering up and down the lanes. Given the choice between a so-called noisy and unsightly cattle grid and ponies clattering up and down the road I would without hesitation opt for the former choice.