Clause 297
Marine and Coastal Access Bill [Lords]
2:45 pm
Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test, Labour)
That is an interesting suggestion and might be an appropriate way forward. One of the purports of the amendment is also to provide space for the path, along with access to it. There is also the issue, which we discussed earlier, of how to ensure that that is defined as the breathing space for the path, how it is marked and what arrangements and negotiations might be appropriate. If the arrangements were not appropriate, the amendment’s aim would clearly be overthrown, inasmuch as access to the parkland exempted under CROW would effectively be restored by an amendment. Maybe an appropriate way forward would be to consider what parkland consists of as far as coastal walks are concerned.
My aim in moving the amendment is to see whether, in one way or another, we can resolve the issue, which I think will arise in future negotiations by English Nature, and ensure that the aim of the coastal path is to be as complete as possible.