Kingsdown White Cliffs Beach Saved by Public Outcry

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED TODAY, 26 March 2013

Huge local, national and international opposition to the development of mobile ‘huts’ on Kingsdown’s White Cliffs beach has led to holiday camp owners, Tingdene, withdrawing the planning application to Dover District Council. Campaigners have cautiously welcomed the decision. However they are poised to reactivate public opinion should another application of this kind be made in the future.

Philip Evemy, chairman of Kingsdown Conservation Group, said: “Our small campaign team worked tirelessly on a comprehensive rebuttal dossier to oppose this crass attempt to ruin a precious, iconic landscape.The result is great news, but the need for vigilance to protect this area’s natural beauty continues. Given that the beach is a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest, overlooked by the Kent Downs AONB as well as the village Conservation Area, it is beyond belief that the application was ever made in the first place.”

Withdrawal of the scheme followed worldwide condemnation through an online petition, and a record 300 objections were lodged by Kingsdown residents on the Council’s website. Expert bodies like Natural England, The National Trust and Kent Downs AONB were also unanimous in their opposition. Local personalities amongst the campaigners included wildlife presenter and film maker Richard Taylor-Jones, celebrity author Deborah Moggach and actor Neil Stuke.

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If you supported this campaign...

 

THANK YOU!

 

 

For more information on this campaign: :www.kingsdownconservationgroup.wordpress.com or www.kentbeachcomber.blogspot.co.uk

 

UPDATE Save Kingsdown White Cliffs Beach

Kingsdown beach, and site where huts will be placed

The "Tell Dover District Council: Save Kingsdown White Cliffs Beach" captured public attention, and went global. Comments and votes against the installation of 12 huge huts on this unspoilt bit of beach, were received from as far afield as Australia, Pakistan, USA, Belgium, Canada, Spain and the Netherlands. People also commented from across the UK including Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.

So many know and love this part of the East Kent coast, and want to protect what makes it so special, leading to them returning time and time again - the beach, a site of special scientific interest, the White Cliffs and the area of natural outstanding beauty.

By the final day of the public consulation we had 675 signatures on the Change.org online petition site with many adding economic, ecological and environmental reasons as to why this application needs to be rejected. A further 67 people signed a paper version of the online petition. All of these votes and comments join the 268 detailed public objections on the Dover District Council website.

During the campaign, the East Kent Mercury carried articles and letters about the planning application, with the latest feature flagging up the international interest. 

Natural England made a strong objection to this plan, and debunked the assertion made by the planners that these huts could be positioned on a site of special scientific interest, without causing any damage to the shingle habitat. Local MP Charlie Elphicke added his objection as did the local Councillor Sue Le Chevalier to the Dover District Council website.

Today, I hand-delivered a covering letter with the petition plus comments, photographs of the site, and copies of all those that signed the paper petition to Sarah Platts at Dover District Council. The arguments put forward by everyone were compelling:

• The economic assertion that Kingsdown would benefit from this development was firmly rejected, with visitors and tourists all saying that it is the unspoilt beach that makes them holiday in this location.  
• One chalet owner directly refuted the claim put forward by the planner that it needed to recoup some of the costs spent on maintaining the beach, by saying that no such charges are asked of them.
• All agree that a site of special scientific interest must be left alone so it can thrive - the argument that huts can be wheeled on and off of the site was ridiculed by many, as installation and bi-annual movement will cause irreparable damage.

The Kingsdown Conservation Group, has been working flat out liaising with the various conservation bodies, and on a rebuttal of all the claims put forward by the planner. To read this, and find out loads of other useful information go to the Kingsdown Conservation Group's website. If you are local, and want to protect what we all so love about Kingsdown, it is worth joining. At only £5 for individuals or £8 for a family, it's a wise investment.

URGENT: Tell Dover District Council to save Kingsdown beach

Kingsdown White Cliffs beach and SSSI

The beaches at the foot of the White Cliffs of Dover need protection. A proposed development will result in 12 large mobile beach huts spoiling the wild beach at Kingsdown. The beach is set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, next to the conservation village of Kingsdown. As a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and home to rare plants and wildlife, it has been enjoyed by generations of visitors, holiday-makers and residents for its beauty, tranquility and free access. This nationally important part the coastline with tales of smugglers, heroic rescues, Caesar's first landing and the first female swimmer to cross the Channel, ending at Kingsdown is now under threat.

Looking from Kent AONB to Kingsdown

If you care about Britain's beaches and its coastline, the environment and local communities, and want to protect what is precious about this White Cliffs beach, I need as many people as possible to do TWO things:

ONE: please sign the petition on Change.org
TWO: enter your comments on the DDC planning comment section of the website. I have provided an outline letter on my Change.org site but feel free to make your own comments.

In that way, future generations may be able to enjoy this unspoilt area too. There isn't much time: deadline 15 March. For full information about this application visit the Kingsdown Conservation Group website

Pet Pubs

Bruno, Reg, Tom, Jack and Daniel, are just as well known as the publicans in the countryside and seaside pubs in East Kent. Their distinctive personalities enliven and enrich the pub..

Bruno is the latest canine to pace the floors at the newly refurbished seaside pub - the Zetland Arms. He is a lovely, lollopping black labrador, who has overcome being born without a hip bone. He provides a warm welcome and loves a stroke and cuddle.

Down the road, the pet that undoubtedly rules at the Rising Sun, is Tom, a ginger Tom-cat with a feisty character. He can often be found standing to attention at the front door or lounging at the bar. Although he purrs at being stroked, you have to be alert as he is just as likely to use his prickly paws to give you a gentle swipe. Upstairs is Reg, a confident Staffordshire terrier who likes a good bark at the birds and anything else moving at night. He is a fantastic deterrent against any villains who are looking to disturb the peace.

Jack and Daniel are two sleepy cats who luxuriate in the warmth and hospitality of the Red Lion pub at Stodmarsh. They are quite at home in this quirkly, family-run pub, set deep in the East Kent country-side.

Other pubs with pets that deserve a mention are Bumble, a sleek red setter whose lithesome limbs stretch across the floor of the sixteenth century pub, the Black Pig, and Merlot and Claret, who were the resident cats at the White Horse in Dover. They have moved on in the last few months, so we are waiting for news of where they will pop up, and who might grace the doorsteps of one of Dover's oldest pubs next.

Whether feline or canine, all of these animals are great characters, who are just as happy at home as their human companions. It's worth a visit, just to greet and shake a paw.

Deal Herrings - fresh from the sea daily

The hard working fishing boats of Deal brave all weathers to bring herrings to our shore. Selling every day direct from Deal beach at 3 for £1.00 these are simply delicious seasoned and fried in butter.

 But, for a change we decided to cure a batch and make Cider Vinegar and Orange rollmops using Hugh Fearnley Whitingstall's recipe from his Fish book, as a reference. The only fiddly bit was  filleting which we admittedly need to practice more. We found that a sharp knife, a firm hold and confident cutting produced the cleanest of fillets.

The herrings were then soaked in salted water for a couple of hours whilst the pickling mixture of All spice berries, peppercorns, orange peel, bay leaves, sugar and sliced onion was brought to a boil and left to cool. Bringing it all together was simple with the help of wooden cocktail sticks and a large kilner jar.  They needed to cure for around 3 days, and can keep for up to a month. Ours won't last this long as we have used them ever since as a lunchtime snack, perfect with Finn Original Rye crackers from Peppers Health Food store.

We will be experimenting with the curing mixture, and fancy sweetening it up, trying a little more brown sugar and replacing the Cider vinegar with Sherry vinegar, which again can be found at Peppers. 

Bonfire night by the beach

 

Kingsdown is a small, seaside Miss Marple-style village, with its own post office, an excellent butcher and a well stocked licensed newsagent. It is also lucky to have three warm and welcoming pubs, The Rising Sun which always has a roaring fire on a wintry day, The Zetland Arms which sits pertly on the beach and has enviable views of the Channel and the White Cliffs, and the King's Head which is housed in the heart of the village.

All three pubs have hearty food, and give a warm welcome to all those crossing the threshold. One of the busiest nights of the year is now upon us, as Kingsdown puts on a great show for Bonfire night with an enormous beachside fire and cracking fireworks. This year's event takes place on Saturday 3 November with tickets costing £5 per person or £15 for families. They can be bought on the night and include a smashing hot dog and a cup of wholesome soup. The fun starts at 6.30pm with the gates opening, the bonfire is ignited at 7.00pm, followed by fireworks at 7.30pm.

What better way to end the evening than with a hot toddy, at one of the nearby pubs. It's worth a visit to see Kingsdown in all its fiery glory, and if it's a clear night, it is truly magical to see the light of the fire dancing and reflecting on the icy cold sea.

Lynda's - for everyday wares at affordable prices

Lynda's, on Queen Street, Deal is one of those treasure troves of a shop. It has everything from kitchen equipment, hardware, art materials, storage through to a host of seasonal items from beach shoes and boogie boards in the summer, through to Halloween masks and Christmas lights in the Autumn and Winter. I often forget it is there, and end up paying through the nose for what appears to be a cheap online alternative, but once postage is factored in, Lynda's wins hands down. I've bought everything from kilna jars, cartoon character boogie boards, hard wire brushes, sunglasses and twinkling red Christmas lights and will be popping in over the next few weeks for some more festive fare. This is another of my favourite local shops.