driffield navigation guide

Article printed in the Driffield Times 07/01/2005
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A CANAL-SIDE property which has been at the centre of a bitter rights of way row has been put on the housing market for £295,000.  Controversy has raged for year over access past the Lock View, Riverhead, Driffield after its owners denied an old cart track at the side of the property had public access. Gates were blocked off and signs put up labelling as private the stretch of track which has been walked by Driffeld residents for decades. But following campaigners' and residents' protests the path, along with another which crosses the garden of the property, was recognised on a definitive map last year.

Lock View, which stands among picturesque scenery has now been put up for sale by estate agents. Estate agents Promark Ltd, based in Bridlington, who are handling the property on behalf of the owner have described the two-bedroomed bungalow as "an idyllic country location, with superb canal views to the front of the property, weir and lock to the side." Fishing and boating rights also come with the package.

The Driffield Navigation Trust have spent years improving the historic waterway by repairing and replacing locks and improving footpaths in a bid to boost tourism. They are putting up signs informing visitors of the history of the 200-year-old canal, which could eventually include a visitor centre if a suitable site can be found. However, DNT spokesman, Trevor Stone told the Driffield Post there were more pressing matters to be addressed on the canal before any thoughts of a visitor centre were discussed and ruled out the possibility that they would purchase Lock View. It seems to be the right project but at the wrong time," he said. "I think we would be ill advised to be spending time, money and effort on a visitor centre when we have not got the canal open. We need to deal with the first things first and get closer to opening the canal, maybe in the next five years, then start looking at these kinds of facilities." He added: "It is awfully tempting when it seems to be an obvious use, but even if we could convert it into a reasonable property, we would still need staff to work in it and there would be other costs."

Meanwhile, the DNT are preparing a bid through canal manager, Mike Dunn, for around £400,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to replace Wansford Lock and dredge sections of the canal bed. Mr Stone said they were hopeful that the bid would be successful. He said: "The money is never there until it is in the bank but Mike Dunn has spent quite a lot of time with the people from Heritage Lottery in Leeds, going through the proposals. We have been through the mill, so to speak, so we will just keep going. "It will be a shame to slow down. A lot has happened over the past two years, a lot of effort has gone into it, and, after years of waiting, people are getting some reward for it now," he added.

07 January 2005