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Access to the English Coast
Context
• The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 received Royal Assent on 12th November 2009.
• Established the duty on Natural England to secure a coastal trail and coastal margin around the English coast
• Work has commenced on 6 lead stretches - Durham, Sunderland and Hartlepool; Cumbria; Kent; Somerset; Norfolk and Weymouth (in time for 2012 Olympics)
Current Situation Kent
• Kent attracts many visitors who come to walk along the coast but they don’t have a secure or consistent right of access.
• A third of the English coast (37% in Kent) currently does not have a satisfactory, legally secure path.
• NE working with KCC to secure a clearly marked, well managed coastal trail that will allow greater access to the coast
• The public want the confidence and certainty in a quality coastal path that isn’t punctuated with the stop go effect that we currently experience.
Wider Benefits
• Walking along the coast is even more popular than relaxing on the beach
• This is not just about a footpath, it’s about securing a coastal margin where people can rest, relax or admire the view.
• The South West Coast Path draws in excess of 7 million leisure and staying visitors and is worth in excess of £300 million a year to the SW regional economy
Benefits contd.
• Coastal trail will increase visitors to the Kent coast,
particularly national and international visitors
• Contribute towards KCC’s “Vision for Kent” to enhance the quality of life, encourage active lifestyles and develop the tourism economy within East Kent.
• Coastal access will raise awareness of Kent’s coast and
support the development of Kent as a world class short
break destination
Principles of Alignment
Statutory Principles for route alignment • Safety and convenience• Adhere to periphery of the coast providing sea views• Practicality – interruptions kept to a minimum ensuring
an unbroken and continuous route
In addition to ensure:• Enjoyment and protection of the natural environment• Responsiveness to coastal change – roll back
Roll Back
Roll Back 2
Roll Back 3
Alignment in practise
• First we align the route of the trail in consultation with owners and occupiers– Either adopt an existing PRoW– Adopt a permissive or de-facto walked line– Create a fresh ‘line’
• Everything seaward of that line becomes spreading room
• Then we look at the discretion to extend spreading room inland (guided by the scheme)
Figure 1 A section of coast before alignment, showing fields of permanent pasture with heath, scrub and rock to seaward side.
Figure 2 The trail aligned along the cliff slope.
Figure 3 Spreading room seaward of the trail
Figure 4 Spreading room landward of the trail
Implementation process
Stage 4 – Draft Report /Consultation – April 2012
• Currently preparing draft report • Consultation to commence April 2012• Primarily web based consultation - 12 weeks long • Invite all interested parties to comment• Listen to what people are saying and amend draft
proposals accordingly
oughQuestions?