The Argus on Tuesday 7th July had a small piece about a demo being organised at Newhaven West beach. It is on Thursday July 23rd, meeting at Fort Road @12.45pm before making its way to the beach. Protestors are being encouraged to bring drums, horns and banners. They want us to make as much noise as possible. The demo is timed to arrive at the beach at about 2.00pm, when the tide is right out, so that the media will be able to get good pics of people enjoying this spot, which generations of Newhaven - and Lewes and Brighton and Sussex and London et al - folk have enjoyed.
The march is being organised particularly for young people, but all adults are being encouraged to attend, too. The Primary Schools are all making placards and banners, and Tideway Comprehensive is coming along, too, as is the towns Young Persons Mayor.
The contact is Maurice Langham on Bton 510 955. His email is mhlangham@tiscali.co.uk He is a Newhaven town councillor.
The beach has been closed by the harbour owners for 2 years now - pleading safety concerns - and the Town Council is running a campaign to have it designated as a 'Town or Village Green', which will make public access a statutory right and protect it from development.
Newhaven harbour, the undercliff, and the cliffs and fort are one of the most delightful seaside spots in Sussex. The cliffs, clifftop and undercliff are of national importance for their rich geology. Their invertebrate assemblage - of beetles, bees and wasps, and other groups - is also of national importance.They are also mineral and fossil rich. The bird life is wonderful, with Kittiwake, Fulmar, Peregrine, Gannet and much more. In spring the cliffs are a delight of colourful wildflowers, including many rarities, like Sea Clover and Fenugreek.
The whole cliffland and seashore is threatened by a deadly combination of neglect and development, despite its pile of protective designations: - SSSI, SAM, LNR, RIGS, SNCIs.
The cliff Downscape has been left out of the proposed South Downs National Park, despite all its in-your-face gorgeousness. Newhaven is, after all, largely a poor community, and the urban fringe Downland of poor people has often been excluded from the Park's protection.
Let's get down there and show our support for these folk and this lovely area,
Dave Bangs
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