Eastney Naturists
Campaigning to Save the Beach
Another report going to the executive meeting on Jan 18th - the report can be read on Portsmouth City Council's website. This report recommends deferring the decision over the SINC land at Fort Cumberland because QinetiQ hasn't given guarantees about public access to Eastney Beach that satisfy the City Solictor.
The City Solicitor has a report going before the executive next Friday (18/01/2008). Rather than recommending a sale of rights over part of the SINC (as in the reports put up in November & December), this report recommends a deferral of a decision until QinetiQ and PCC can come to an acceptable (to PCC) agreement about guaranteeing public access to the beach in a binding and legal way.
The offer from QinetiQ is to "dedicate as access land pursuant to s.16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 the beach comprised in its Fraser site on the date of first occupation of the development to be permitted on the Fraser site under a planning permission in all material respects in the terms of the draft decision notice re A*26996/AP issued by PCC on 30 December 2005."
There are some issues with this offer:
There is a supplemental offer from QinetiQ that "QinetiQ will not, during the period from 19 January 2008 to the date on which the beach is so dedicated, prevent public access to the beach..." - the caveats with this offer are that it's subject to PCC agreeing the deal over the access road & SINC before "2300 hours on 18 January 2008". They also reserve the right to exclude the public for: "reasons of health and safety, for the protection of ground nesting birds (on the advice of Natural England) or to prevent the commission of criminal offences on the beach".
There are concerns about this supplemental offer
If I was in the council's shoes, I'd be very unhappy about being issued a deadline or the threat to go to legal action.
The City Solicitor has a report going before the executive next Friday (18/01/2008). Rather than recommending a sale of rights over part of the SINC (as in the reports put up in November & December), this report recommends a deferral of a decision until QinetiQ and PCC can come to an acceptable (to PCC) agreement about guaranteeing public access to the beach in a binding and legal way.
The offer from QinetiQ is to "dedicate as access land pursuant to s.16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 the beach comprised in its Fraser site on the date of first occupation of the development to be permitted on the Fraser site under a planning permission in all material respects in the terms of the draft decision notice re A*26996/AP issued by PCC on 30 December 2005."
There are some issues with this offer:
- Guaranteed public access is delayed until the flats are built and occupied.
- It seems to tie the offer to the outline planning application no A*26996/AP. Would the flats actually be built under this planning consent? Or would the flats actually be built under a different application submitted by the eventual developer (don't forget, QinetiQ's stated plan is to sell the site once they've secured the Outline consent).
There is a supplemental offer from QinetiQ that "QinetiQ will not, during the period from 19 January 2008 to the date on which the beach is so dedicated, prevent public access to the beach..." - the caveats with this offer are that it's subject to PCC agreeing the deal over the access road & SINC before "2300 hours on 18 January 2008". They also reserve the right to exclude the public for: "reasons of health and safety, for the protection of ground nesting birds (on the advice of Natural England) or to prevent the commission of criminal offences on the beach".
There are concerns about this supplemental offer
- how long would the beach be closed for "Health & Safety" reasons?
- "criminal offences" - mmm, it was made quite clear that some people regard being offended by naturists as being an offence!
- The onus would be on the council to sue the owner if public access was stopped
If I was in the council's shoes, I'd be very unhappy about being issued a deadline or the threat to go to legal action.
© Eastney Naturist Beach Liaison Group