A proposal to alter a long-distance walking route in the Chilterns has attracted criticism following a homeowner’s application to reroute the path.

Oxfordshire County Council is currently conducting a public consultation on the plan to divert the Ridgeway National Trail near Fairway House in Nuffield.

The Ridgeway National Trail extends 87 miles, connecting Avebury in Wiltshire with Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire.

The existing route currently crosses the driveway and turning space at Fairway House, situated between the main residence and garage.

According to a statement from Oxfordshire County Council, the homeowner sought the diversion due to concerns about the volume of trail users.

The council noted that the homeowner had installed a hedge between the property and garage, along with a pedestrian gate, to address privacy matters while preserving public access to the footpath.

The homeowner’s statement indicated that footpath usage had grown since their arrival at the property.

The presence of delivery drivers on the driveway was cited as a safety concern for pedestrians and children.

Particular concern was raised regarding running groups, with reference to public running events where significant numbers of participants pass directly by the property.

One family member was reported to have been struck by a runner.

Allegations included theft of items from the garage, disposal of dog waste bags, and dogs being permitted to wander within the property boundaries.

The proposal seeks to relocate the path to the opposite side of the garage, allowing the main residence to be fenced off from the diverted route.

Should the diversion proceed, the revised path would measure 70 metres in length rather than the current 58 metres and would be constructed without gates.

The Friends of the Ridgeway, an organisation dedicated to protecting and promoting the trail, lodged a formal objection to the scheme.

The group contends that approval would establish a harmful precedent for public rights of way.

The charity pointed to 2017 planning permission granted for two substantially larger properties on the site, which included conditions requiring the path to be retained.

The objections described allegations of theft, personal injury, and dog fouling as unverified and anecdotal.

According to the objection, the property owner would have been aware of the footpath’s existence at the time of purchase.

The submission stated that it would be unreasonable to claim the established route had become inconvenient when it was a known feature prior to acquisition.

The charity maintained that the running events referenced could only be the Race to the Stones, an annual occurrence since 2013, and that no substantive evidence had been provided regarding increased overall trail usage.

The Friends of the Ridgeway argued that approval would permit other landowners to seek diversions based on personal grounds such as privacy or security concerns.

The group asserted that privacy considerations do not constitute valid grounds for relocating a public footpath or National Trail.

No evidence had been presented to demonstrate that property security was under threat, with the current application apparently based on personal inconvenience.

The charity warned that granting permission could undermine established protections for rights of way at both local and national levels.