A FOOTPATH network which runs around a Cotswold lake has finally been re-opened after more than 10 years.

The popular public route around Bowmoor Lake, near Lechlade, had been closed since Coln Park bought the site to start developing holiday lodges as part of their Lakes by yoo development.

Although the footpath is within the privately owned Bowmoor Sailing Club, locals claim they have been walking on it for decades, and a week before the closure was put in place, one resident had succeeded in making the path a public right of way.

Since then, Lakes by yoo has been working alongside the local community, as well as Kempsford, Lechlade and Fairford parish councils to negotiate a re-routing of the path, which finally re-opened earlier this month.

On November 9, the developers were also granted permission by Cotswold District Council (CDC) to extend the holiday complex with further accommodation, a country park and a visitor centre on land recently acquired from excavators Hanson UK.

The footpath network will then be further extended into the new section, once legal agreements – drawn up with the support of the local councils – have been finalised, and mineral excavation work is complete.

Simon Evans, Lakes by yoo project director, speaking at the opening on November 17, said: “We had to stop the footpaths from being used for 10 years due to health and safety, and everyone got very upset.

“Now that we’ve almost finished building, we’ve agreed for the local community to divert it and open it. So everyone’s a lot happier.”

He went on to say: “The new footpaths [will be on] additional land we’ve acquired from Hansons.

“When they’ve finished, we get that land. The new paths will link to the old ones to create one big network across the site. It’s been a long time coming.”

Teresa Griffin, clerk of Kempsford Parish Council, also speaking at the launch, said: “We’ve campaigned all that time to get them re-opened, we’ve worked really hard, particularly over the last year.

“It’s obviously a different network of paths now to what it was before, but we’ve found good compromises.

“Where we’ve lost lake views, we’re gaining other views in other places. It’s a good result for the community and businesses.

“It just shows what the community and developers can do when they all work together,” she added.