Plans for the coastal defences at Kingsdown

As part of my volunteer work to help with the protection of the coastline, I have been talking to Dover District Council about the poor state of coastal defences at Kingsdown. The groynes are now past their usefulness, they no longer hold the beach and the seawall has collapsed twice in the last few years. This leads to emergency funds being provided by the Environment Agency to shore up our defences. Plans to strengthen the defences has been prohibitively expensive. But there may be hope for us yet.  

As myself and several residents recently met with the East Kent Engineering Partnership (EKEP).  Below is a summary of our meeting...

East Kent Engineering Partnership (EKEP) has been commissioned by Dover District Council (DDC) to develop plans for the coastal defences at Kingsdown. The EKEP was established in June 2007 bringing together the engineering teams of the five East Kent Coastal Authorities; Canterbury, Dover, Shepway, Swale and Thanet and are very experienced in coastal defence works.

The short-term

In the short term the EKEP will be securing the failed wall to the North of the Old Lifeboat House. This will be carried out by installing steel sheet piles at the bottom of the seawall, repairing the cracks and inserting metal tie bars which will be attached to buried concrete blocks. The worst of the nearby groynes will be patched up, by using the upper planks to fill in the holes at the base of the groynes. Shingle will then be recycled from Walmer to fill the worst depleted groyne bays.

 It is felt that this will be sufficient to help the wall withstand the winter storms. The work should take place fairly quickly, the contract is out to tender now and the works will hopefully be completed by the end of October, which is excellent news.

The longer-term

The longer-term plan is to replace the 14 existing groynes with 16 realigned ones, and to replenish the beach. Over 60 thousand cubic metres of beach material is required to replenish the beach which would cost nearly £2 million if all new beach was imported.

To make the new scheme economically viable the EKEP are looking at various beach recycling options for replenishing the new groyne bays over a period of years following installation of the new groynes.

The EKEP is working on a Project Appraisal Report (PAR) which will be submitted to the Environment Agency. It is hoped that funding approval will be achieved to allow work to start next financial year. To keep costs to a minimum, piles that are in a good condition will be recycled into the new groynes. 

The EKEP is cautiously optimistic that this scheme will hopefully achieve EA funding. The scheme that is being prepared by the EKEP is under the £8m estimate previously given by Halcrow, ensuring that it has a realistic chance of achieving funding.

Next steps

The EKEP will keep in touch with representatives for Kingsdown, and are happy to attend a public consultation meeting once funding has been granted, to present their plans.

We were extremely encouraged by the practical, thorough approach being taken by EKEP and look forward to working with them to see these plans through to completion.

On the trail of the long-tailed blue

Having read about the emergence of a rare blue butterfly on the White Cliffs of Dover, we stepped out equipped with a camera to try and spot this beauty. This is a lovely stretch of the coast. With all the sun that we've had, the path is mud-baked, and easy to stroll along. Kingsdown conservation village sits prettily at the foot of the cliffs on the Northerly side; St Margaret's Bay is nestled in the middle, whilst Dover Docks presides magnificently to the South. The land is now managed by the National Trust, having successfully raised £1m to buy a last remaining stretch. The organisation has plans to retain the rare chalkland where native plants thrive, through careful management and custodianship of this iconic site.

But, back to the long tailed blue. Although we spotted a mustardy vermillion green butterfly and the more common Chalkhill blue, there was no sign of this rare exotic species. Matthew Oates, Butterfly and Moth expert at the National Trust, had mentioned in an article in the Guardian, that it is laying eggs on the invasive everlasting sweetpea. Although this sprawls amongst the grass with abandon, it will take a better pair of eyes than mine to spot such early signs of the fact that this visitor is here to stay.

Still it was a lovely late morning walk for a Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring has sprung in an East Kent Garden

At long, long last, spring has sprung in this East Kent seaside garden. Alliums have slowly released their many hundred stamens, and are being hungrily fed on by bees of all sizes.

The poppies are breaking free of their sheaths, revealing silk-like purple and red blooms beneath.

One of our latest acquisitions, which I have named a Roo Roo (but I believe is related to the Rhubarb, but thinks it is a Ghunera) is growing bigger than I ever expected. I am hoping that it will provide some shelter for our wildlife barrel of water, so that frogs re-visit to shelter, sunbathe and spawn. Having visited Chelsea Flower Show this year, one of the most striking features for me was the splashes of orange, mainly in the form of Geum. This is reflected in the fashion for the season which appears to be nautical with a flash of orange.

To reflect this fashionable edge we have introduced some Welsh Poppies alongside our Stipa Tenuissima which amazingly has overwintered and is looking in fine-feckle.

I am so looking forward to the breaking forth of our frilly edged red, purple and pink poppies. Each flower is short lived, only lasting a week or even less if deluged, but the sumptuous pleasure that they bring is so well worth it.

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.

-ends-

 

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.