A LANDOWNER is footing the bill to protect an area of upland habitat – despite a cheaper alternative already being approved.
Michael Cannon, the owner of Wemmergill Moor, has applied for permission to build an all-weather track near Green Crook, along with parking areas.
Vehicles have used the area for many years but are damaging important habitat.
Even more tracks are being created across the open moor in an effort to avoid further ruts on the deteriorating ground.
Mr Cannon’s agent, ecologist Valerie Hack, says the new 1.3km track will lead to the restoration of nearly 36 hectares of rare habitat.
Approval has already been granted for a stone surface, but Ms Hack says it was never built because it went over a significant area of blanket bog and was “visually intrusive”.
The EU deems blanket bog to be priority habitat and Wemmergill Moor has been given special protection by Brussels because of it, she said.
A planning application has been submitted to Durham County Council for an “agro-track” on a better area further down the valley.
In her planning statement, Ms Hack wrote: “The current situation is unsustainable and the do-nothing option is not viable.
“Vehicular access in the general area including to the destination is long established.
“However, the applicant desires this access to be sustainable.
“The scheme will be of significant potential benefit to all of those involved with the management of the moor – ie for grouse moor management and for farming purposes.
“The track is designed for small all-terrain buggy type vehicles not road vehicles. The scheme will allow a significant area of land, predominantly blanket bog, to be released from being used for linear arterial access often by a convoy of vehicles.”
Ms Hack added: “It is a measure of the applicant’s commitment to sustainable development that the scheme is being proposed despite the cost implications.
“It would have been entirely legitimate for the applicant to have implemented the previous scheme at far less cost.”
The site is in the Lune Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest, the North Pennine Moors Special Area for Conservation and the North Pennine Moors Special Protection Area. It is also part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Turning areas will be created at the start and end of the track, Ms Hack said.
She said the new track, which would be used by moorland managers, shooters and sheep farmers, would also help firefighters deal with potential fires.
She added: “Wildfires are always a risk on heather-dominated moorland and the biggest limitation to fighting a wildfire is the ability to bring in water.”
