Access to the English Coast

1. Access to the English Coast

2. Context • The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 received Royal Assent on 12th November 2009. • Established the duty on Natural England to secure a coastal trail and coastal margin around the English coast • Work has commenced on 6 lead stretches - Durham, Sunderland and Hartlepool; Cumbria; Kent; Somerset; Norfolk and Weymouth (in time for 2012 Olympics)

3. Current Situation Kent • Kent attracts many visitors who come to walk along the coast but they don’t have a secure or consistent right of access. • A third of the English coast (37% in Kent) currently does not have a satisfactory, legally secure path. • NE working with KCC to secure a clearly marked, well managed coastal trail that will allow greater access to the coast • The public want the confidence and certainty in a quality coastal path that isn’t punctuated with the stop go effect that we currently experience.

4. Wider Benefits • Walking along the coast is even more popular than relaxing on the beach • This is not just about a footpath, it’s about securing a coastal margin where people can rest, relax or admire the view. • The South West Coast Path draws in excess of 7 million leisure and staying visitors and is worth in excess of £300 million a year to the SW regional economy

5. Benefits contd. • Coastal trail will increase visitors to the Kent coast, particularly national and international visitors • Contribute towards KCC’s “Vision for Kent” to enhance the quality of life, encourage active lifestyles and develop the tourism economy within East Kent. • Coastal access will raise awareness of Kent’s coast and support the development of Kent as a world class short break destination

6. Principles of Alignment Statutory Principles for route alignment • Safety and convenience • Adhere to periphery of the coast providing sea views • Practicality – interruptions kept to a minimum ensuring an unbroken and continuous route In addition to ensure: • Enjoyment and protection of the natural environment • Responsiveness to coastal change – roll back

7. Roll Back

8. Roll Back 2

9. Roll Back 3

10. Alignment in practise • First we align the route of the trail in consultation with owners and occupiers • Either adopt an existing PRoW • Adopt a permissive or de-facto walked line • Create a fresh ‘line’ • Everything seaward of that line becomes spreading room • Then we look at the discretion to extend spreading room inland (guided by the scheme)

11. Figure 1 A section ofcoast before alignment, showing fields of permanent pasture with heath, scrub and rock to seaward side.

12. Figure 2 The trail aligned along the cliff slope.

13. Figure 3 Spreading room seaward of the trail

14. Figure 4 Spreading room landward of the trail

15. Implementation process

16. Stage 4 – Draft Report /Consultation – April 2012 • Currently preparing draft report • Consultation to commence April 2012 • Primarily web based consultation - 12 weeks long • Invite all interested parties to comment • Listen to what people are saying and amend draft proposals accordingly

17. Questions? ough