Eastney Naturist Beach
Liaison Group
Campaigning to Save the Beach
Portsmouth City Council's Cabinet are meeting again (Monday 7th July at 1:00pm) to discuss QinetiQ's latest legal action & threats of Judicial Review. Once again the council officers are recommending that the Council hand the (public open) land over to QineitQ to allow them to widen the access road to the development site. The report can be viewed on the Council's website
We'll be making a deputation (again!). You can contact us at: info@eastneybeach.org.uk
The Portsmouth News want to hear from you about the beach at Eastney - there's an article and editorial in the News (Sat 26 April) about the beach. http://www.eastneybeach.org/cms/index.php/news/44/50 They ask "What do you think?" and ask you to write, email or text to the editor. This is something that YOU can help with - Please, please write to them - there are a number of options open to us. We could:
- Ask the council to sanction another bit of beach for us to use
- Ask the council to just put the signs up 100 yards to the west of Fraser Range beach
- keep using the beach in front of Fraser Range, no matter what.
- Just give up (obviously not our favoured option!)
You can email them at: letters@thenews.co.uk
You can write to them at: The Editor, The News Centre, Hilsea, Portsmouth, PO2 9SX - They do ask that you include your full name, address & daytime phone number when writing to them.
This site is for anyone interested in saving Eastney Beach (Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK) for continued naturist use.
Our objective is to ensure that the planned redevelopment, of the disused MoD site (Fraser Range) behind the beach into several high-rise blocks of apartments, does not threaten the continued use of Eastney Beach by the public and by naturists.
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The radar tower & research centre at Fraser Range doesn't make the most attractive of pictures, but the view from the beach out to the Eastern Solent and the Isle of Wight is glorious!
And it's quiet, with little passing traffic, making it ideal for naturists...
Eastney Beach has been used by Naturists for decades.
The Council even recognise this fact - they've put up a handy sign, although the beach isn't recognised as an official naturist beach.
What's the problem?
QinetiQ are the freeholders of an area of land located at the south-eastern corner ofPortsea Island, incorporating a shingle beach down to mean high water mark, previously known as Fraser Range. The northern boundary of their premises abuts FortCumberland, a Scheduled Ancient Monument incorporating Listed Buildings, and a small section of land within the ownership of Southern Water Services Ltd.
The northwest/ west boundary abuts an area of public open space and the Southsea Caravan Park [part of which is used for the laying up of boats/yachts]. The area subject of the planning application, however, includes part of Fort Cumberland Road, and the access road that connects Fort Cumberland Road to the Fraser site together with a narrow strip of the adjoining land [owned by Portsmouth City Council].
Fraser had been used by the MoD as a firing range and for gunnery training for a significant period of time following the 2nd World War. In comparatively recent times the emphasis on training waned in favour of research and development of electronic and radar detection systems complementing the DERA facility at Portsdown.
Since the privatisation of the Defence and Evaluation Research Agency and subsequent formation of QinetiQ in its place, the latter have sought to make more effective use of the corporate estate. As part of that process QinetiQ activities on the Fraser site have been redeployed to Portsdown Technology Park and the site has been declared surplus to requirements.
Qinetiq now have approval on an outline planning application (A*26996/AP) to build 3 large blocks of flats, 131 apartments, directly overlooking the naturist beach. Although they have yet to submit a detailed planning application or to start demolishing the existing radar station.
Our concerns include:
- As development of the site progresses we'll be 'encouraged' to stay off the beach (for Health & Safety reasons, of course!).
- Once the flats are occupied, there'll be attempts to move us off the beach then too.
- How many Naturists will be confident enough to continue using the beach, being overlooked by 3 large blocks of flats
© 2006, 2007 Eastney Naturist Beach Liaison Group