Consultation on byelaws

Tucked away in the Public Notices section on Friday March 11 was an announcement by Rother Council of the commencement of a twelve week period for submission of public comments concerning the proposed new Bexhill Promenades and Seashore Byelaws.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Mar 2011, 09:24 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 20:32 BST

We think these proposals are both detailed and wide-ranging, affecting the interests of many people, and we advice reference to the documents at the sources quoted. Given our interest, we are in the process of preparing a two page summary of the provisions of the Seashore section for the benefit of our members, which will be circulated to them shortly.

The main concern of this Society is centred in the proposed designation of 275 metres of Herband Walk Beach below mean high tide level as a boat launching/landing area. We do not understand how the designation of this length of beach can be reconciled with the existing ‘boat lane’ which is currently only 75 metres wide. Nor do we understand how such use can even be contemplated considering the imminent registration of the whole of this beach as a Town Green, used by local families for recreation. Since this ‘boat lane’ was designated about ten years ago without consulting local residents, we suggest it would now be appropriate for the basic principle of such ‘designation’ to be also publicly debated.

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This proposed area will be the only free public launching/landing site in the entire ten kilometre stretch of Rother shoreline between Hastings and the boundary with Wealden Council. A ‘boat’ is defined as any craft larger than a single seat canoe, but we know from past experience that the majority of powered craft operated will be jet-skis. We have spent the last two years successfully resisting planning applications to develop this beach for similar commercial purposes, and Rother Council have records of the hundreds of public objections to such use. It seems to be particularly perverse of them in the knowledge of such history to now recommend this proposal.

So, it is vital for every person who uses our local beaches to comment on all these proposals, not just Herbrand Walk Beach, before the consultation period closes on June 3, to try to influence the final content of Byelaws which may not be reviewed again for another 100 years!

John Hodson, Chairman

Herbrand Walk Beach Preservation Society.

Related topics:Hastings