A plan for twelve beach huts to be dotted along the cliff between Highcliffe Castle and Chewton Bunny comes as a surprise.
It is also causing concern.
The scheme is promoted by the Channel 4 programme George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces with support from Christchurch Council.
People are being asked to submit designs for an overnight hut by the end of the month with a view to the winning designs receiving £8,000 for building in the autumn.
Christchurch Council’s community and recreation team leader Matt Reeks says: “It will be the renaissance of Highcliffe.”
However, not surprisingly, many members of the community don’t agree and are alarmed by the suggestion that the huts will be ‘iconic’.
This is a stretch of rare natural cliff enjoyed by many locals and walkers.
But Will Daws of programme maker Plum Pictures claims that “it should bring joy to people in the areaâ€.
A petition has been started asking the council to think again. Around 600 people have signed. The aim is to reach a thousand names.
Yet another dodgy Christchurch Council idea. Having quietly sold off part of Christchurch to Bournemouth, then attempting to sell off the Christchuch sports facility again with few people knowing: The council then lets tree with protection notices on them be cut down to suit a development, they now want to keep quiet this latest idea – beach huts of 2.5 stories high in an SSSI, no toilet facilities locally and on ground that may not be sound to build on. We know we can trust them to keep it secret.
A meeting is being held:
Date:Friday 6th May
Time: 19.00 hrs
Venue: The Old School, 254 Lymington Road, Highcliffe.
This will give the residence of Highcliffe the opportunity to question CBC about this planned development on the undercliff.