Exmoor Trust Report April 2007

Since I wrote in December I can now report some progress on capital funding for Exmoor. Our determination to garner support for major projects has successfully brought together all the County, District and National Park representatives to join with us in forming the Exmoor Capital Funding Alliance (a working title) to develop a programme of action. Three initial major projects have been identified for priority action : a new Heart of Exmoor Interpretation Centre; a rebuilt and revamped Coastal Interpretation and Visitor Centre; and completion of the Dunster Action Plan. The concept for the Heart of Exmoor Centre is now being developed bringing together the experience of other similar centres as well as the special features of Exmoor. The Coastal Interpretation Centre based in Lynton will probably be a shared development with a private developer which, with the Heart of Exmoor centre, will enable visitors to both coast and moor to engage and appreciate these special environments. I suspect that progress on the Dunster Action Plan will be the most challenging without further external assistance, but we are in contact with appropriate external advisers.

The first local community trust is now being considered for the Carhampton area with a specific target of community controlled Affordable Housing. This Townsend Farm project will provide a mixture of affordable tied housing but with some open market homes needed to finance part of the project . The development is outside the national park area but is supported by the WSDC. The District Council will shortly begin consultation to seek views on council land owned in Simonsbath which may provide space for a small number of homes and/or workshops. The Simonsbath parish adjoins 11 other parishes where people in need of housing should also register for a home in Simonsbath. It is important that the total need is established to get this project qualified and underway. Given the poor rate of provision of affordable homes within the park area and residual concerns over the working of the Rural Housing Project we will continue to monitor progress. We also consider that the emergence of Community Trusts to effect local control of housing and business development deserve wider consideration.

We have not heard anything further on the Design Guide for Exmoor. This important document seems to be setting the record for delay and procrastination. Our requests for progress reports are met by assurances and publication dates which successively are missed. We understand that there is a problem with the inadequate quality of work produced by two consultant firms which have been engaged so far. We remain convinced that an updated Design Guide is now well overdue and is needed to support opportunities to make housing build more affordable as well as acceptable. It might be that the process of reviewing designs could involve a more localised panel prior to submission to the ENPA.

Two major documents affecting the future of Exmoor are now nearing completion. I outlined in my last newsletter the important application for funding support from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Management of the Moorland. The papers supporting a bid for over ￡1m are almost complete and will be submitted later this month. But the key document now being prepared is the Exmoor National Park Management Plan 2007-2012 which covers : The Exmoor Landscape, Exmoor's Wildlife, Exmoor's historic environment and cultural heritage, Exmoor's natural resources, waste and pollution, Farming and land management on Exmoor, Understanding and enjoyment of Exmoor's special qualities, Recreation and tourism, and Exmoor's people and communities. As a consultative partner we have noted the improvements to the draft plan over the past few months and now welcome its challenging focus and format. The plan has a strict process of measurement and adequate flexibility to permit some adjustment to targets. This ambitious and far reaching plan can be seen on the ENPA website and Nigel Stone, Chief Executive, will give us an update on this after our AGM.

Those of us interested in the longer term sustainable economic future of Exmoor should be interested in the report prepared by the `new economic foundation'(NEF). This thorough report is provocative, refreshing and challenging. It confirms that death rates exceed birth rates within the Greater Exmoor Area, leading to decreasing proportions of young people. For the last three censuses the National Park has a higher proportion of older people and a lower proportion of young people than both surrounding counties and the country as a whole. The NEF report develops an Exmoor Model which posits that the status of the national park provides a unique framework for using the environment as a economic driver for delivering increased well-being while respecting environmental limits. I think its `Actions' and `Ideas' should be explored and some implemented.

During this quarter we have provided a major grant to the Moorland Mousie Trust whose objective is the conservation of the Exmoor pony. It was founded in 2000 and last year opened the Exmoor Pony Centre at Ashwick, near Dulverton. This grant will provide a portable PA system and much needed office equipment.

The difficulty of finding appropriately qualified and committed volunteers to provide the management skills for larger scale community projects is now recognised as a hurdle as the Government increasingly encourages the development of Community Development Trusts. We think that this challenge should be met from the higher proportion of retired professional people living in the park area. And we still wish to encourage such people to join the Exmoor Trust and offer their time and experience to reinforce the work of the Trustees. Our Trustees wish to increase the scope of expertise available to the Board and will propose to increase numbers to twelve at the AGM. Next month I will reach 70 and, having acted as Chairman of the Steering Group to form the Exmoor Trust and of the Trust since in formation in 1999, intend that the year ahead should be one in which we identify a successor. If you know of anyone who is interested in talking to me about my role or meeting other Trustees please get in touch.

We continue to welcome members and friends to our Trustee meetings but I extend a special and cordial invitation to you all to attend our AGM at 4pm on 23 May at Exmoor House in Dulverton. The meeting will begin with a very short AGM followed by a discussion with Steven Pugsley and Nigel Stone on the Management Plan and other issues facing the ENPA. This will lead into a Q&A session and Open Forum. We want the Open Forum to provide us with a platform for action in the year ahead so if you cannot attend please do let us know what you consider are the important topics to be tackled. As usual the meeting will be followed by Light Refreshments before closing by 6pm. For members only I enclose the Agenda and Minutes of the last AGM and ask that you all try and encourage people who are interested in the future of Exmoor to attend as the meeting is open to the general public.

Yours sincerely Edwin Beckett Chairman