THE owners of part of a 17th century hunting lodge have applied for planning permission to erect a fence to keep walkers safe.

The Byre is one of several houses surrounding Hey House in Holcombe constructed by Robert Brown in 1616 as a Jacobean hunting lodge for the de Trafford family.

The original house contains much carved woodwork reputed to be from Whalley Abbey and it was probably the site of the first kennels for the hounds of the Holcombe Harriers, which later became the Holcombe Hunt.

Once a dairy supplying produce to Hey House, The Byre was converted during the 1980s to become a stone built dwelling.

A public right of way currently passes the property to the south and is popular with walkers.

The proposal is to erect a short length of timber fencing around 6.6 metres long containing a gate to guide footpath users along the footpath safely.

A planning and access statement said: "Currently users stray onto the drive which can be slippery with algae or ice. It is easier to keep a limited route clear and safe for users and to introduce footpath markers on the fence/gate will ensure users stay on the footpath.

"Currently users also stray into Hey House or simply turn around and re-trace their steps.

"The fence will also prevent animals such as deer and escaped sheep entering the Mews where they could be at risk of harm from moving vehicles.

"As our proposal is located along the boundary of the service courtyard at the side of The Byre, there will be no impact on Hey House."

A decision will be made by Bury Council's planning department at a later date.

* This story originally stated that the fence was to stop walkers "straying onto the owners property". In fact the planning application states that the fence is to guide walkers over the property while preventing them straying onto the driveway, which is often slippery. We apologise for the error and we are happy to set the record straight.