talkclacton.myfastforum.org

ivan burit

Whats on your doorstep,
that you never knew about !

http://www.clactonandfrintongazet...astal_access_moves_a_step_closer/

nice story about coastal axcess into all areas around our coastline.

then you read about varous company names that sometimes dont mean much at first glance, like the little known company that you pass going to Harwich from Clacton just pass Gt Oakley.
Exchem has a gated entrance in a small`ish backroad thats surounded by fields, its websites tell of the company being located on an island.
sounds idilic... Wink

svenska · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Tendring Hundred

Full coastal access for all. Ahhh. Sounds like yet another idyllic scheme dreamt up by this government to swing the vote round to them once again. The fact is that, realistically, the Marine Bill (which encloses clauses of the Coastal access issue) provides countless benefits that we should be glad about regarding marine life and the safeguard of marine life's future. However, when it comes to coastal access issues I really have to get on my soapbox.

Even without the marine bill going through we would still have around 80% of our shoreline accessible to the Great British public. The 20% that is inaccessible generally has a very good reason for being closed. We seem to forget as a nation that land does actually belong to somebody. Think of it like your garden (which to note is also included in the coastal access bill). Would you really want a stranger to be legally allowed access to your garden in order to traverse it? Other types of private land, I believe should be treated in the same way, no matter what its use is. Farming is a career just like any other job and as a result of this bill 1000s of acres could, and I say could, be under the risk of being destroyed due to careless walkers etc. It's not a joke. These are peoples lives we're talking about. Whatever happened to talking to people anymore. There was a time when you knew who the landowner was, you could simply find them and ask them if you could stroll, picnic or camp on their land. Why is there no courtesy anymore?

In Tendring we have some fantastic stretches of coast but, the majority of it is already accessible. Why do we need more? I happen to know that ExChem have very good reasons for keeping that land closed to the public. I know the backwaters incredibly well and there certainly are some spots that should not be opened up. Hamford water for example is a vitally important bird sanctuary and breeding refuge. Lets speak facts. No matter what anyone says walkers cause damage (especially walkers with dogs). When are we going to stop trying to spoil each and every place? Personally I think it is superb that there are still areas that are inaccessible. It means that at least some of Britain is only open to the few priveleged (and by that I mean the birds and mammals that live there.

Has anyone actually read through the marine bill from a farmer's perspective? No? well I suggest you do and then think again. Hope this provides some food for thought.

admin · Site Admin Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 99

Thanks for the input svenska, what are the reasons ExChem have for keeping their bit private?

Can we liken our back gardens to open spaces, trespass is not a crime is it?

Very few people actually visit these areas so it's likely to be just another rubbish point by this control freak government to make out they have our interests at heart, so agree with you on that one.

The debate on Farmers rights is a long one and while we need every bit of our agricultural land for food production not so long ago common land was available to most, now sadly largely annexed.

We only look after the land, same as anything we use while we are here on this Earth and we are not doing a very good job as a species at the moment are we?

svenska · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Tendring Hundred

I agree with you that indeed most 'common land' is now annexed. However, the thing I find most sad (as I may have hinted at in my last post) is that we have lost any link there used be between landowner and village folk (to coin a phrase although this wouldn't do for today). There used to be a very definite social integration in each village and small town even 60 years ago when evryone had their role to play. The landowner would be a well known and respected individual who would often play a large and beneficial role to their community. In fact several of our modernday local landowners have similar traits but they are not appreciated like they used to be. It was a much 'friendlier' world. Why do we have to in fact draw new boundaries between landowner and public today in the attempt to iron out any boundaries. It simply isn't working.

What about 'public footpaths'. Were these not once the main route for people to get from village to village in the busy lives. That was the main purpose for them originally. Now what though? A few trekking ramblers with egos 5 times their size and the odd dog walker. Do we really need this much 'access'?

Gardens are indeed included if they're on the coastline. However, I must stress that there does not seem to be that much continuity when reading through. There are exceptions and, come to think about it, quite a few exceptions.

I think the debate on farmers' rights goes further than simply food production. Farming is no longer a profitable business in this country in terms of growing food for the nation. Unlesss you have several thousand hectares, the books won't balance. There fore farmers are looking more and more towards 'environmental' methods of farming as well as other forms of diversification for their income. I'm afraid I cannot let on any info about ExChem. Sorry.

We may look after the land but in the farming debate most turn towards generations of their family. For families of farmers, 'family' itself is one of the most important things they have. It is a certain pride that you hold (you may be sensing I have a slight bias towards farmers and the farming community! haha).

Anyway, it's a fantastic debate and one that I would love to continue at any time.

amenity2 · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 798 Location: Dovercourt

My caveats concerning 'footpaths' is quite simple, first law is for all.

Secondly while it is presently thought that we don't need footpaths as formerly, this might not pertain in the future.

With the potential demise of the motor car footpaths should not be the cause of future conflict between peoples.

The remaining footpaths are few compared to prewar days, much hiving off done after the war.

Of course it must get up the nose of the farming community that townies and other trekkers can trot around farm land but farmers use towns folks streets with impunity and no complaint.

We all need each other, obviously, and a spirit of cooperation would be a wise thing to instill.

svenska · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Tendring Hundred

Exactly. Cooperation is the way forward. As it should be and as it should always have been in the first place.

ivan burit · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:31 pm Post subject:

Nice to see you back on these pages svenska, and correct me if i`m wrong, but i think i remember you are more from the farming communities than an ex towny like myself, and so not all our expectations are or will be the same in the end results.
Anyoldway,
" I'm afraid I cannot let on any info about ExChem. Sorry. "

If you look on their website, youll find explosive issues !
(as you may well know)

svenska · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 5 Location: Tendring Hundred

Thanks Ivan. haha. Explosives is one of the issues yes...good scouting.

It's good to be back after a bit of a gap. Being ignorant on the issue, who is running this thing? It doesn't have anything to do with DC does it? Much better than the old site anyway. Shame about the amount of members. Still, small things grow quickly.

and yes...I am more from the 'farming community' and I look forward to joining in the debates once again.

ivan burit · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 12:21 am Post subject:

Farming is the one thing towny`s look on at, but dont really understand.
I had a small insight when a family member took on a postage stamp size smallholding in Tiptree some years back, not much arable land at all, but 1,200 well overgrown apple trees, a huge chicken house, 2 cold storage buildings and a falling down barn next to the roadside, and to live in 7 days a week, was a well retired ex holiday home caravan painted sea green (or was it just "aged")..lol

As a hard working factory worker, our family (mum-me & kiddie) had an "eggbox" (an old touring van) caravan we used to stay weekends in on "stonefields"

My task was to use the smaller vineyard massey fergesson tractor with twin rotorblades on skids to cut a path between the apple orchards..my left leg took the rest of the week off to let the leg muscles repair themselves before the following weekends clutch use hurt it again..

The onsite family built up trade with a "farm shop"
In between his other duties, he used his excellent builders skills in building one of the finest locally styled farm houses around, with me useing the bigger tractor in digging out huge deep sewer/drains & water access trenches.

As a weekend only "farm workers" our little 3 part family enjoyed ourselves, but lived normal towny lifestyles during the week.

Things in life change, for different reasons, and the place in tiptree was sold on in the hight of the building boom in the early `80`s.

Stonefields has been offered back to family in the past, but the thought of all that work again, leaves us all cold, but the memories are still vibrant, of the good times, not the harsh winter times.

I now watch farming programmes on telly and marvell at the new computor controlled tractors, with fitted hi fi, air con, satnav type self steering and auto selecting gearboxes.
Oh, and somewhere for the driver to keep his sandwiches.....lol

As an aside, i used to visit a farm in Gt Oakley on sundays in the summer months occasionaly in the late `70`s early `80`s, it was down farm lane, take the left fork, farm on the right, through the buildings and out to the rear fields
(not that far from exchem really)
Our reason was just as explosive though, as it was the track of the Clacton Banger Racing Club i believe, british banger racing at its best.
It never lasted long, but that again will never be forgot either.

Oh, and lastly, its Amenity who is holding us all together, and doing a good job too!

amenity2 · Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 798 Location: Dovercourt

Ivan said,
"Oh, and lastly, its Amenity who is holding us all together, and doing a good job too!"

It should be pointed out that this is a recent phenomena, previous to that the forum ran along on laid back lines, lets hope it can again.

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