One confusedbeach owner

IN REPLY to J Hodson's letter of March 18. I would like to ask both Rother District Council DC and the Herband Walk Beach Preservation Society what it is exactly they want at my beach at Herbrand Walk.

Over the past three years I have had two planning applications and an appeal refused because it was inferred that I wanted to have a ‘Jetski Centre’ based at my beach.

But surprise, surprise, in the new draft byelaws, Rother now wants the whole length of the beach, 500m, to be a designated motorised launch lane for the launching of Jetski’s and motorised craft!

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If this byelaw is passed, it will mean there will be no swimming, fishing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, kayaking, sailing etc allowed along this open stretch of beach as these activities are banned in the motorised launch lane.

The HWBPS was formed in a last ditch effort by the residents of Cooden to scupper my plans to have my so-called ‘Jetski Centre’ and with a little help from certain Rother planning committee members they’ve succeeded up to now.

The HWBPS has applied to ESCC to have the beach registered with a “Village Green” status.

Village Green status will mean that all activities carried out at the beach over the last 20 years can then continue to be done so forever more. The outcome should be known by the end of May.

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So in conclusion, I have spent the last three years and thousands of pounds battling the Rother planning committee and the HWBPS over false allegations that I want a ‘Jetski Centre’ at my beach, only to find out that the council now wants to encourage Jetskiers to launch from there without any regard to other sea users and that the HWBPS, by applying for ‘Village Green’ status, has guaranteed that as Jetsking has been carried out at the beach over the last 20 years it will now be allowed to continue forever more. Confused? me too.

STEVE HALL

Collington Avenue