Residents hit out at plans for more new huts

Beach hut owners and nearby residents have protested against plans for 14 more huts on Felpham seafront.

They said the scheme by Inspire Leisure for the land next to the Culver Road car park would ruin the area and put the occupiers of the proposed huts in danger.

Their view was backed by Felpham parish councillors.

The four members of the planning committee unanimously objected to the scheme.

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They said it would be dangerous to get to and from the intended huts, parking would be impossible for the occupiers and putting more huts in the area would be unsightly.

Cllr Michael Harvey said: "This is a gross overdevelopment of the site."

Cllr Graham Matthews said he was concerned about the timing of the application when some of the beach hut owners would be away from the area.

Thirteen beach hut owners and residents attended the meeting. Spokesman Julian Hitchcock, of Culver Road, said parking by those using the new huts was a big concern.

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"These will put a further strain on parking in the local area because the current situation is unsustainable," he said. "This is the worst planning application I have seen for a long time."

Beach hut owner and Felpham resident Angela Pullinger protested: "This is all about money.

"It is not acceptable to have these new huts right behind ours. It's going to make the situation very dangerous."

Five of the planned beach huts are intended to be located at the western end of the 65 current beach huts.

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A further six are in the north-west corner and the remaining three sited in between.

Outside the meeting, another beach hut owner Lynora Heraty said: "I object to the extra 14 beach huts on the grounds of health and safety.

"Families will use the gaps between the present huts as a short cut to the beach, causing loss of privacy to present owners and excess noise and rubbish.

"Children running and playing around the extra beach huts are likely to be at considerable risk if they run into the road or around their beach huts as cars are parking or travelling along the access road."

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She also raised the concern the additional huts would add to the traffic in the area.

A statement by Inspire Leisure says the extra 14 huts would have no impact on existing access areas used by people visiting the current 65 huts.

"This development will cause no restrictions to any existing access areas or existing users of the site.

"Vehicles are able to access the site via Culver Road and its existing car park," it says.

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"Car owners are able to park adjacent to their huts. Pedestrian access can be made directly from the promenade."

The design of the proposed huts would be in keeping with the existing structures, the statement added.

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