Total English coastal access is not achievable, concur landowners and ramblers

Landowners and ramblers today both acknowledged that a complete coastal path will never be achieved around England.

The two groups – traditional opponents on access issues – both accepted that, pragmatically, it would not be possible to ensure 100 percent access to the coastline in England.

CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher said: "Access to at least 70 percent of the English coastline already exists. And both the CLA and the Ramblers Association now acknowledge that extending this to total access is unlikely to be possible."

The Country Land & Business Association (CLA) and the Ramblers Association both gave evidence today to the Joint Parliamentary Committee scrutinising the Government's proposals for coastal access, articulated in the draft Marine Bill.

Both groups accepted that because of ports and military land, such as shooting ranges, and developed land, the Natural England vision of 100 percent English coastal access will simply not happen.

The CLA President said: "While landowners do not oppose public access per se, it is important any system used to deliver increased access must respect the rights of businesses and property owners. The fact there is no right of independent appeal for landowners is an affront to natural justice.

"Natural England has demanded the right not only to go across farmland and land used by tourism and leisure businesses but now also into private gardens and parks offering no right of appeal or compensation for losses directly incurred."

The main purpose of Part 9 of the draft Marine Bill was to deliver access around the coastline of England, most of which is already accessible. However, there is widespread recognition that Natural England's vision cannot be achieved.

Henry Aubrey-Fletcher added: "The basis of the legislation is to give Defra and Natural England as much flexibility as they desire in a scheme based on consultation but not consensus which potentially puts the interests of businesses behind those of the walker.

"We have to ask why new legislation is being considered when existing law would deliver a better quality solution. Natural England would effectively sit as judge and jury simply stripping landowners of their right of appeal and increasing their costs without any hope of compensation."