1. Is Devon County Council the statutory authority solely responsible for designation of the route of the Tamar Valley Discovery Trail?
No, because the Trail is not (nor does it need to be) designated in law. The Tamar Discovery Trail is a recreational route initiated and promoted through the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty partnership in collaboration with Devon County Council. Management arrangements for the AONB are currently led by Cornwall Council and administered through the AONB Partnership.
2. If the legal authority has been delegated, please advise details of the delegee entity and its legal officers, and the statutory authority for such delegation.
Not applicable, see answer 1.
3. Please advise the definitive route of the trail as designated and provide a copy of the relevant definitive map.
Under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act, this information is exempt from disclosure under the rights inferred by the Act, because it is already publicly available on this Visit Tamar Valley website and this Explore Devon webpage.
4. Please advise when the trail was first designated and whether any subsequent re-designations were made.
Not applicable, see answer 1.
5. Does the route designated take into account schedule 2 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and in particular conforms to the stipulation that it shall not be routed within 20 metres of a dwelling?
The general restrictions set out in Schedule 2 to the 2000 Act relate to the right of access conferred by Part I of that Act i.e., Access Land and Coastal Margin. The Tamar Discovery Trail forms part of the Tamara Coast to Coast Way, which then connects to the King Charles III England Coast Path, but this is not directly relevant to the route and/or its status.
Information on Access Land and Coastal Margin is available at Rights of way and accessing land: Use your right to roam – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk); King Charles III England Coast Path: manage your land in the coastal margin – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). websites.