Council to hold public event to discuss sale of Sussex beach
Adur District Council will host the public engagement event on July 28 at Southwick Community Centre.
The event will begin at 6.30pm until 8pm, offering residents the chance to find out more about the beach's potential sale to Shoreham Port.
The sale comprises the area of Carat's Café, the car park at Basin Road, public conveniences attached to the café building, beach huts and the remaining section of beach and foreshore in Arun District Council ownership.
The council is considering the sale because it says it lacks the necessary funding to adequately invest into the current infrastructure or ensure the future protection of the shoreline.
However, the proposal has raised serious concerns from residents who fear the sale could mean the loss of public access to the section of the beach.
At a council meeting on July 1, Councillor Julia Watts described the sale as "catastrophic".
She said: 'It's hard to overstate how important the beach is to Southwick.
"While the report describes the sale as rationalisation of the asset portfolio, I would argue the beach and the café are essential components of our identity both for health and wellbeing and how we see ourselves as a coastal community.
'The loss of the use of the beach would be catastrophic for Southwick.'
Shoreham Port has since promised to retain the areas public access forever.
It said: 'We recognise that the port and beaches are very important places for people,' a port spokesman said.
'We currently own and maintain the beaches either side of this potential purchase and have made considerable investments in improving these over recent years.
'As part of the potential purchase we have committed to retain public rights of access to the beach forever.'
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The port went on: 'We are currently working on a large coast protection scheme with the Environment Agency which will see further improvement to beach access over the next couple of years.
"Should this transaction proceed, we would integrate the coastal protection liability of this area into our existing commitments.'
The public event will be led by Councillor Jeremy Gardner, leader of Adur District Council, and will also be attended by council officers and representatives of Shoreham Port.
Adur District Council has set up an online booking page for those wishing to attend, with tickets available on a first come, first served basis.
Residents who are unable to attend will also have the opportunity to submit any questions via news@adur-worthing.gov.uk. These must be submitted by 5pm on July 23.
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