THERE are hopes that an informal footpath will be saved as part of a housing development on the edge of Ludlow.

It has been used for more than 30 years but is not a designated footpath.

The well trodden path is threatened by a small development of 10 new homes to be built on a plot of land near Ludlow Junior School.

The site is between Cold Western Drive and the A49 and follows a belt of trees that links Rocks Green roundabout with Downton View.

Ludlow councillors Andy Boddington and Tracey Huffer say that they are talking with the developer and Shropshire Council in a bid to reach an agreement to keep the footpath open.

Bensons, who are developing the site, has agreed to keep the path open while the work goes on and has created a gate in fencing around the land.

However, there are periods when it has to be closed for safety reasons when work is going on.

“I am really pleased this well used path is being kept open for the time being,” said Tracey Huffer who represents Ludlow East on Shropshire Council.

“It has been popular with walkers for decades.

“There is a danger that if this informal path was closed, more walkers would use the right of way over the A49. That’s quite a dangerous footpath that crosses a very busy road.

"It’s much safer for people to cross the A49 using the traffic lights at the Rocks Green roundabout and the informal footpath provides access to that."

A meeting to try to reach agreement is planned later this month (July).