Boost for beach campaigners
CAMPAIGNERS trying to keep a beach open to the public have been boosted by a government ruling.
More than 200 concrete blocks put in to protect Portsmouth from tank invasion in the war have been given heritage status.
It means the stones - which are only five metres from QinetiQ's proposed flat development at Fraser Range - are protected by law and cannot be damaged.
And campaigners say it boosts their claims to walk freely at Eastney beach, which was recently closed to the public by QinetiQ.
David Denison said: 'This is fantastic news - it gives us hope that the beach will remain free and open to the people of Portsmouth.'
English Heritage applied to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for the blocks to be grade II listed, which they agreed to at the end of March.
They are one metre high, and run along the beach for 400 metres from Eastney Fort East to Fort Cumberland.
They were built in the summer of 1940 to protect the vulnerable shoreline from potential Nazi invasion.
Harry Sutton, 76, who used to play close to the site during the war, said: 'This is such a great feeling because most people probably don't know what these blocks are.
'They were a key part of Portsmouth's defences, and now they are protected for everybody.'
Last month defence giant QinetiQ banned walkers from the same stretch of beach by putting up 'keep out' signs.
It was the latest move in a long-running battle between Qinetiq and Portsmouth City Council over a planned development of 131 homes on the Fraser Range land.
The two sides have been locked in dispute about the rights over a stretch of land leading to the development site. Mr Denison said: 'A replica of one of these blocks stands by the pier to commemorate D-Day, and says efforts were made to keep our beaches free.
'We are just trying to do the same thing 66 years on.'
QinetiQ corporate communications manager Claire Scotter, said: 'We are perfectly happy that the blocks have got this heritage designation.
'The tank obstacles are between five and 10 metres from the proposed development area, so there won't be a situation where we would be building something that would impact upon them.
'We have offered full public access to the beach under our proposed agreement with the city council over road widening for the development work.'
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Friday 25 May 2012
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