COMMON sense prevailed at Parke last Friday when the Dartmoor National Park Authority’s management committee rejected the application by South West Water for a kiosk at the old generator block at the dam.

After two very good submissions from Burrator Parish Council and Sheepstor village, one from the agent for SWW and some discussions amongst themselves, the committee members came to the conclusion that this application was of no material difference to the previous application for a kiosk by SWW and voted to reject the application on the same grounds, namely that it was unacceptable commercialisation.

The second application by SWW, to refurbish the toilet block, was accepted. On this matter, the members concentrated on the perceived need for toilets at the reservoir and chose to ignore the issues surrounding the siting of those toilets on a busy and often congested access road.

As an aside, the agent for SWW admitted that the rejection of the kiosk application made it unlikely that SWW would actually pursue the toilet refurbishment plan.

The Burrator Reservoir area is a place of outstanding natural beauty at any time of the year, even now, as I write this with the tops of the tors shrouded in cloud and the rain lashing against the windows. It is an easily accessible and popular gateway onto the moor, but it is also a working environment for a number of enterprises, particularly, the hardworking moorland farmers.

Visitors are welcome, even more so when they park considerately (the Highway Code is still applicable even at Burrator!) and when they take their litter home with them.

Come to Burrator and enjoy nature as nature is and turn off your iPod and listen to nature’s sounds.

Stephen Hopson

Chairman

Burrator Parish Council