Making Whitstable beach into a town green would damage oyster production, a public inquiry was told this week (October 5). The director of Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company James Green opposed the application that is seeking to preserve the rights of access to the beach. He said allowing people on the beach could contaminate the company’s oyster stocks and was a risk to ‘biosecurity’ – measures to stop harmful organisms being introduced or spread to his stock.
A public inquiry was held from October 3 to 5 and will continue for three more days starting Monday (October 10) at The Marine Hotel Tankerton. Witness statements on behalf of Canterbury City Council, the Whitstable Beach Campaign and the Whistable Oyster Fishery Company are being heard.
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Mr Green stated that ‘unlimited public access to the beach would severely prejudice the biosecurity vital for oyster production’.
‘It would be a travesty’
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And in a statement to Kent Live he added, “Bio-security is an issue as oysters are prone to disease outbreaks. In the past pathogens have devastated stocks of oysters in the UK and Europe.
“One of the ways to control the spread of disease is to restrict access to areas of the beach that are used for oyster farming operations – this will not be possible if the beach is registered as a village green.”
He said the status would affect the company’s ability to use the beach for oyster production and to expand it in the future.
“We have already invested a considerable amount of time and energy in revitalising this incredibly important part of Whitstable’s heritage. Whitstable oysters are world famous and have PGI (protected geographical indication) status, we are the only company producing market-sized Whitstable oysters that are available all year. It would be a travesty if this became untenable due to a ‘Village Green’ designation.”
This is the third attempt to register the beach as a village green after the first two failed and the current enquiry is being held ‘at great public expense’, said Mr Green.
He added: “The council are objecting to the application as they have sought independent legal advice, and the advice that they have been given is that a village green designation would affect their ability to carry out sea defence works. If the beach is registered as a village green, it will take only one person from the Whitstable area to object to proposed sea defence works to prevent them being carried out, putting many homes at risk of flooding.
“This is not the Whitstable Oyster Company’s opinion but rather that of three barristers who specialise in this area of law.”
The other side of the debate
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But Sarah Pout of Whitstable Beach Campaign, who is fighting for the application, said the inquiry was told that the most serious threat to oyster production in recent years was the oyster herpesvirus which wiped out stocks in Whitstable.
The disease in the town was caused by the importation of infected Pacific oyster stocks from France and not caused by people using the beach. The inquiry also heardof the company’s plan to build industrial sheds on the beach at Horsebridge, to house grading machinery measuring 10 meters x 6 meters.It argued that it would not be able to carry out its plans if the beach was awarded a town green status.
She said: “A suggestion was made that the East Quay buildings, now used as music venues, could provide a better location for the machinery required.
“Alternatively the Oval Chalet site could house this vital equipment, being adjacent to the Horsebridge and having good transport access.”
On Tuesday public inquiry inspector Ross Crail will visit the company’s East Quay site and John Baynes’ company, Seasalter Shellfish, that operates hatchery and nursery systems at Reculver.
After all the witness statements are heard, the various parties will reconvene in the near future for final submissions and Ms Crail’s final verdict.
Read more: Organiser fights back with new plan as council orders Whitstable Oyster Festival be scaled back
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References
- ^ Read more: (www.kentlive.news)
- ^ Eat 17 store opens in Whitstable High Street – but why does it have a Spar sign? (www.kentlive.news)
- ^ Organiser fights back with new plan as council orders Whitstable Oyster Festival be scaled back (www.kentlive.news)