Further to the news that the Isle of Wight will not be included in the Coastal Access Scheme, this in from Pippa Turner on behalf of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA). Ed
Following the consultation that started in July 2012 the Government has decided that it will not be making an order for the Isle of Wight under section 300 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. Government does not consider the Isle of Wight to be a priority for the coastal access programme but has suggested that voluntary agreements with local landowners and the local authority should be the way forward.
CLA regional director Belinda Walters said:
“The Island already has an excellent coastal path of some 67 miles.
“To have extended the coastal access provisions under the Marine and Coastal Access Act would have resulted in Natural England duplicating that existing work, and clearly government has decided that, in these times of financial restraint, there is better use of public money than spending it replicating something we already have.
“We will encourage landowners to work with the local authority on voluntary agreements that enhance the existing coastal access on the Island resulting in a locally managed solution.”
Image: Garry Knight under CC BY 2.0
