A PUBLIC inquiry is set to decide whether a leading Conservative Party figure can stop an historic coach road around his 17th Century property becoming a public footpath.

Alan Lewis, who has served as vice chairman of the party, and some of his neighbours in a Ryedale village are understood to be concerned about privacy and security at their isolated farms if the path became a public right of way.

Mr Lewis and nearby farmers say “private property” signs and locked gates across the road in the past mean it was never truly open to the public.

Farmer Robin Barker said landowners may not give neighbours and villagers permission to walk over their land if they fear the routes would become official rights of way.

Villagers in Sheriff Hutton said they have used the path towards Thornton le Clay for many years with no problems or challenges.

They claim North Yorkshire County Council first saw an application to list the coach road as a public footpath 15 years ago.

Dr Richard Johnson said he hopes to prove at the two-day hearing starting on March 17 in the village that the path has been used for at least 20 years, which by law would mean it became a public footpath.

He said: “The majority of villagers feel that this has been walked for many years – not just the 20-year period – by many generations.”