HAVE YOUR SAY ON HAYLING BILLY COASTAL PATH

- Tue 21st Dec 2004

The Hayling Billy coastal path comes under the spotlight next month when people will have the chance to tell Hampshire County Council their thoughts on its future management.
A public exhibition will be held outlining the most appropriate courses of action for defending the path in the short, medium and long term. These range from ‘do nothing’ to different ways of maintaining the coastal path – such as defending the coastline in its current position to re-routing the pathway inland from the eroding sections.

The exhibition will be held at Hayling Island library on 28 January from 9.30am-1pm and 2pm-7pm, and on 29 January from 9.30am-1pm. It then moves to Hayling Island community centre on 29 January from 2.30pm-6pm and 30 January from 10am-3pm.
Officers from the County Council and representatives from other organisations will be available to answer queries. All feedback from the consultation will be taken into account when deciding which option provides the best balance between the different social, economic and environmental requirements.

The County Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Councillor Keith Estlin, said: “We have to consider all the issues affecting the path and the implications for its users, with a view to finding a creative solution that enables our services to be maintained while providing a more sustainable approach to coastal defences. As such, the County Council has looked at various options to ensure the coastal path remains accessible now and in the future. We’ll have to consider the impacts that each of the options would have on local people and the environment so that we find a solution that’s not only cost effective but also aesthetically and environmentally acceptable.”
Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage, Cllr John Waddington, added: “The views of all those who use the path or who live nearby are very important, and I’d urge everyone to take a little time to visit the exhibition so they can learn about the issues we have to consider and share their opinions with us.”

By forum user, PaulFisher