A stretch of United Kingdom coastline that has been closed to the public for almost two decades could become accessible again if new legislation put to parliament by a local politician is passed.
Newhaven West Beach in East Sussex is situated on the UK’s southern shores near the ferry terminal town of Newhaven, where passenger boats connect to Dieppe. The shoreline was closed in 2008 by the French owners of Newhaven Port and Properties. They judged the beach to be too dangerous for the public to use. Over the years they have cited high seas, dangerous cliffs, port activity, and expensive maintenance as reasons for their decision.
Like other beaches along the same stretch of “Sunshine Coast” between the historic resorts of Brighton and Eastbourne, Newhaven West features crumbling chalk cliffs and would require wall and pathway work to keep safe. Unlike many of those other beaches, Newhaven West benefits from a golden sandy shoreline, making it potentially very popular and giving Newhaven (a small town often cited as a coastal “pocket of poverty”) a new lease of life.
Nearby residents, and French sympathisers, have long argued that the beach is a generational asset that everyone should have the right to enjoy. In the past, protests have taken place there, including a “mass trespass” in 2014, after a Court of Appeal ruling that deemed the beach to be the equivalent of a “village green” (a legally protected open space at the heart of towns and villages for community use), because it had been in constant use by the public for over 20 years. At the time, the protests proved unsuccessful.
Now though, local Member of Parliament James MacCleary has formulated the “Newhaven West Beach (Public Access) Bill, to enshrine that right of public access in national law.
In a statement the MP said: “17 years ago, this beach was closed to the people of Newhaven. For generations, the West Beach was where children learned to swim, families spent their summer and memories were made. Parents who played there as children have never been able to take their own children there – mine included. That is a real loss.” MacCleary described the beach as “not just a stretch of sand; it was a part of life.” He urged fellow parliamentarians to “take this bill, adopt it, make it law and give Newhaven its beach back.”
Although MacCleary acknowledges that “safety and harbour operations matter,” if he succeeds in gaining enough support for the measure, the Port Authority would be forced to undertake the necessary work and allow the public to use the beach once again.
Other moves are already afoot to transform the seaside spot in line with its more famous neighbouring resorts, including a £7.5-million refurbishment of Newhaven Fort as well as a splash park, children’s play zone, outdoor fitness facilities, and a new eatery.
