With the Lords today starting the debate on secondary legislation for the Coastal Access Act (1), the Ramblers is urging the Government to ‘let the public speak out’ on where the new English coastal path will be.
The Marine and Coastal Access Act, places Natural England under a duty of fair balance to consider the public and landowners’ views equally. But critically, local people will lack the rights to appeal against proposals or influence the content of draft reports that landowners will have.
Only after lobbying from the Ramblers will user groups and the public be consulted on Natural England’s draft reports.
Justin Cooke, Ramblers Senior Campaign Officer, comments: “The Marine and Coastal Access Act places a duty on Natural England to consider the views of the public and landowners equally, but so far the plans run the risk that only landowners will be listened to.
“Natural England’s Scheme is the blue print for putting the path in place, and is very big on reassuring landowners that their views will be listened to. It even says that that they will meet each one and ‘walk the course’ with them before publishing any proposals or letting local people or the public know what they are planning.
“The views of local people, the public and walkers need to be equally taken into account.
“Coastal Access is a visionary piece of legislation which will bring huge economic and cultural benefits to the public for these and future generations. The Government and Natural England are to be applauded for supporting the scheme. It’s important that we get the implementation right.”
The Ramblers is seeking a firmer commitments and changes to Natural England’s scheme when it is debated by parliament later in the year, so that bodies representing user groups and the public will be consulted at the earliest stage of Natural England’s work.
Notes to Editors
1 The Lords will today debate the Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (England) Order 2010 in the Moses Committee Room - Lord Davies of Oldham leading for the Government.
2 In discharging the coastal access duty, Natural England and the Secretary of State must “aim to strike a fair balance between the interests of the public in having rights of access over land and the interests of any person with a relevant interest in the land.”
Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2009/ukpga_20090023_en_24#pt9-pb1-l1g297
Quotes from Government Ministers and MPs during debate on the Marine and Coastal Access Act.
Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
“...the provisions in this part of the Bill try to strike a fair balance between the interests of the public, who want to be able to walk the coastal route, and the interests of landowners. That is why we clarified the rights of landowners, gave them more say in developing the route and included a right for objections to be heard.”: Second Reading House of Commons 23 Jun 2009: Column 706
Ann McKechin, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland:
“In terms of wider awareness, it is expected that the local authority will issue a media release at the beginning of the consultation period and write to local stakeholders and interest groups who will have been identified at earlier stages. Natural England has already said that it will publish its draft proposals on the internet and invite all relevant interests to comment on them. It will allow a period of 12 weeks for people to view the proposals and submit comments on the report.” Committee Stage House of Commons Column number: 240
Andrew George MP:
“If the duty of fair balance is to be achieved during the local implementation of the coastal access duty, bodies representing user groups and the public must be consulted on the content of coastal access reports.” Committee Stage House of Commons Column number: 238
