Dungeness Access Under Threat
Access to perhaps one of the most iconic and popular cod fishing marks in the country is under threat due to proposed planning applications for the area. To save writing it all out, I have quoted a post from WSF member, Si and a link to an e-petition. Please take the time to have a look and sign, we need a great response to this in order to try and save this historic mark.
Dear fellow anglers,
I had a short meeting today with Tony Hills, proprietor of Seagull Tackle at Greatstone, local councillor to Dungeness and committee member of Dungeness Angling Association.
Tony brought to my attention a new planning application by EDF Energy Nuclear Generation Ltd (basically Dungie nuclear power station). This planning application has disastrous implications for all of us who enjoy our winter fishing at Dungie.In summary, they are requesting a closure of all public access to the area bordering the EA road between the boats and just short of the boardwalk. Putting it simply, they want to close the point area for fishing between October and April so that they can commence shingle redistribution….not for one year but until 2023!!!!!!!!
Not good for a number of reasons but mainly:
On one level we will be losing access to some of the best cod, whiting and dab fishing in the SE, but equally importantly, while this is not good news for us able bodied anglers who can manage the two hundred yard trudge across the shingle either side of the fence, the loss of this area which is adjacent to the EA access road means any less able or more aged anglers are no longer going to be able to drive close enough to be able to fish at Dungeness.
Potentially, we are about to lose access to one of the most historic and iconic cod fishing shore venues in the world.
DAA have started a paper petition, copies will be found throughout the SE tackle shops very shortly. However, objections and petitions need to be registered within 28 days of the 19th September, which as of now only gives us 2 weeks to register our objections.
I have set up an e-petition here: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/18192
It takes less than 30 seconds to sign.
If you are a member of any other forums, web sites, social networks, please please copy this post to the other forums you use and ask your facebook/twitter/friends reunited contacts to sign this petition as well.
If we use the internet as it can be used, we can achieve massive numbers and have a real influence on the decisions to be soon made by Kent County Council.We have 2 weeks to do this…starting now!
Just in case you missed it, here’s the link to the petition again. Please take the time to sign. http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/18192