H ERNE B AY S C OASTAL P ARK M ANAGEMENT P LAN 2013 TO 2023

COMMENTS FROM FRIENDS OF THE DOWNS Our comments follow the structure in the draft plan which was shared with attendees at the Kings Hall meeting on 15th October 2012. Our comments are on behalf of the Friends of the Downs. The Friends of the Downs is a well-supported community group that recognises the Downs as a much-loved breathing space for the town and a valuable, healthy and diverse wildlife asset with national and international protective designations. We want to ensure that only environmentally and ecologically sensitive and responsible actions are taken for the Downs. We also want to help local people and visitors to recognise the value of what we have in this slice of nature by the sea, and to enjoy it as part of a great day out in the Coastal Park. As a special interest group, our comments on this Plan are inevitably rather Downs-centric as this is the piece of land about which we are best informed. However, we have commented on the rest of the Plan as and when we felt we have something to contribute. Some issues and ideas appear in more than one place in the draft plan. Where this happens, we have repeated our response. Please excuse the repetition we did not want any of our comments to be missed simply because they appear in one action plan and not another.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 1 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Vision for the Coastal Park does not provide any clarity about what the Park is for and what it is intended to become. We suggest: To develop a Coastal Park that appeals to a wide range of residents and visitors by offering a variety of high quality seaside experiences traditional; sporting; unspoilt and natural in one beautifully integrated seven kilometre stretch of coast. We should emphasise that the Park offers something for everyone by integrating the entire Park without detracting from the distinctly different experiences and mood that the three distinct sections of the Park has to offer - developed coast with beach huts in West Bay; retail coast in the central area; natural coast in the Downs and in Reculver Country Park. This is a great opportunity to remove or re-site some of the visual clutter - signs, bins, benches - on the Downs and replace it with low-key, consistent signage and well-placed amenities. We are concerned by the suggestion to provide car parking near the Kings Hall we would like to see more information about where and how this would be achieved. The maintenance of the Downs should not involve pesticides or herbicides. We present on page 10 of this response a detailed SWOT analysis for the Downs as part of the Park. Much of the draft Plan is already work in progress or work that is planned by the Council. There is surprisingly little scope for community contributions. The special scientific and ecological importance of the Downs has been understated, when its natural richness should be emphasised. The idea of grass cutting on the lower slopes between Beltinge and Hillborough is not a recommendation from KWT, it is merely a suggestion - the Friends will examine it more closely to see if it is worth progressing. Action L14 should be replaced with: Research the wildlife implications of a change to the cutting regime at the rear of the promenade at Beltinge and Hillborough and decide whether there would be any benefit in making such a change Similarly L15 should be replaced with: Research the wildlife implications of managing the scrub on the lower slope and decide what the best management approach would be.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 2 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

CHAPTER 2 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Field Status The Plan says the Council has in effect donated the land to a Trust. What is the status of this Trust? Who will run the Trust? What representation or influence will the Council have on the Trust? Vision for the Coastal Par k The suggested vision is To manage the area establishing a range of new projects to enhance the fabric and facilities of the seafront, coast and semi-natural areas. As a vision, this does not give any clarity about what the Coastal Park is intended to become. This means that there is no guidance as to what sort of projects might be a suitable way of helping to achieve the vision. The impact of this is that the draft Plan reads as a collection of disjointed projects, rather than as a coherent series of projects which will move the Park towards a clear vision. The vision should answer questions such as: Who is the Park for? What is it for? What kind of experience is it intended that people will have in it? How does it support the overall vision for Herne Bay? Is the Park supporting, enhancing or leading the future regeneration of the Pier?

The current draft of the Plan fails to paint a picture of what we are hoping the Park will become. Is it intended primarily for locals? Is it intended to play a key part in attracting visitors to the town? If so, who do we hope they will be and how do we expect them to use the Park? Without this clarity, we have an incoherent patchwork of ideas and projects. The risk of having no unifying aim or vision is that the Park will suffer from this and will also look disjointed and incoherent. By way of illustration, a multi-course dinner requires thought to be given to the guests who will attend and to the balance of the individual dishes. Each course does a different job, but they all need to work together. A chef who just slings in every dish suggested will produce something terrible to eat. Lets not allow the Park to be a dinner of ice cream, gherkins and spare ribs - all of which are well-liked foods, but which together will not make a great meal. There is almost a million pounds worth of spend suggested in this Plan for the Coastal Park. That amount does not include the sea defence work (which is both funded by the Environment Agency and something that will happen independently of any plans for a Coastal Park) nor does it include the rebuild of the Victorian Shelter as this is a replacement which should be being funded from insurance money.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 3 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

The point is worth repeating - almost a million pounds worth of expenditure is being suggested for the Coastal Park. If we were starting from scratch and developing an action plan from a clear vision, and if we were then given almost a million pounds to spend on delivering that vision, the key question is whether we would choose to invest in all the projects that are currently in the Plan. The Friends of the Downs do not think that we would. Given that, we think it is critical that a clear vision be developed to guide decisions about future expenditure and to help make choices between projects that will be competing for funding. The follow up vision suggested by the Council after the Kings Hall meeting is: To protect, enhance and promote the unique heritage and open spaces of Herne Bays Coastal Park We think that this is a definite improvement on the vision suggested in the Plan. However, it still does not answer the question of what we are developing a Coastal Park for. What will be different if we achieve the vision set out for the Park? How will the town and residents benefit? There is no criticism intended in this feedback about the vision. Developing a vision is tricky and members of the Management Committee of the Friends of the Downs have all been involved in vision development in our business lives, so we know how hard it can be. We certainly do not have a final, crisp vision to offer. However, we offer the following as an Aunt Sally: To develop a Coastal Park that appeals to a wide range of residents and visitors by offering a variety of high quality seaside experiences traditional; sporting; unspoilt and natural in one beautifully integrated seven kilometre stretch of coast. The enhanced Coastal Park should support revenue generation in Herne Bay as well as providing local residents with much-needed open space for their health and well-being. Community input We need to remember that just 42 people voted for this run of land to become a Coastal Park under the Fields in Trust scheme. This means that we have yet to capture real community interest in this project. It is also worth mentioning that some ideas that were put forward by the community last year have not been fed into the action plans in this draft Plan. The Friends of the Downs and Herne Bay in Bloom have long been suggesting that they work with local schools (and the support of one was secured last year) to develop a coastal garden at the foot of the Hundred Steps. That area has been omitted from the QEII Park altogether.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 4 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

The draft Plan is clear that the support of the community is critical to enhancing the Park and to acquiring funding for projects. We understand this. However, the October 2012 meeting revealed that many of the projects included in the Plan are actually already in the Councils forward programme. In addition, the grounds maintenance invitation to tender has already been issued. This means that there is surprisingly little room for manoeuvre for the community to suggest action or changes as quite a lot of the Plan is already part of the Councils forward programme. Three weeks after the meeting that was held at the Kings Hall to discuss the future of the QEII Coastal Park, there was a meeting of HBAMP. At that meeting, it was announced that the Council has already agreed a number of concessions for the Coastal Park for 2013. These concessions include catering; kayaking; deck chairs; toddler swings; telescopes and exercise concessions, as well as concessions that we have had before such as a marketing booth for Bay Blast and amusements for children. Other concession ideas have been rejected. None of these concessions were put to the community at the Kings Hall meeting. It is very difficult for residents to engage usefully in consultation with the Council and to act as a full community partner if they are to have no involvement in decisions about the concessions in the Coastal Park.

CHAPTER 3 Site description Section 3.3 if we are to list here the designations that apply to the Downs section, we need to list them all. This part of the Park is: Designated as Protected Open Space Designated as undeveloped coast Part of the Thanet Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) A Special Protection Area (SPA) A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) Recognised by the Council as being a distinctive landscape which should be conserved because it has a special sense of place Part of the Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay Ramsar site (3UK078).

This is important because it is both something to shout about and something to which we need to pay attention when any plans for the Downs section are considered. It may be that this is better dealt with in Section 6?

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 5 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

CHAPTER 4 Landscape context Some of this section has no relevance to a Management Plan for the future of the Park. Much of page 10 is irrelevant detail and appears to have been cut and pasted from elsewhere. It is important that we all understand that the primary function of the land is as a coastal defence, but the works specification of Neptunes Arm is not needed in a Plan for the future of the QEII Park. The Plan will be a long document anyway. We suggest stripping out any of the historical references that do not influence how the land needs to be managed today and in the future. In that way, we can say more about some actions later in the document without adding to the overall length of the document. Section 4.5 is irrelevant.

CHAPTER 6 The fuller list of designations and protections here that relate to the Downs is welcome. Maps of the extent of each would tie these paragraphs to the Park at the moment this section of the Plan is no more than a general description of what the various designations mean. In particular, the UK and Kent Biodiversity Action Plan is mentioned, but no explanation is given as to its relevance to the Coastal Park by way of listing the relevant species that can be found here. Certainly for the Downs section, the policy context is covered more fully in the Friends of the Downs draft Management Plan of 2011 at pages 6-9 (Appendix at page 17). We would like to see some of this work included in the Plan. As we are looking at the Park as one entity, it would also be worth adding relevant quotes from the Councils Landscape Appraisal 2000. There is rather an odd quote in section 6.9 on page 16 of the Plan which says that the Open Spaces Strategy highlights gaps in equipped play provision in Reculver ward. Of course, the Strategy does a lot more than that and spells out the fact that Reculver ward is distinctly under-provided for in terms of open space generally. We think it would make better sense to capture in the Plan all the conclusions from the Open Spaces Strategy that could be relevant to the Coastal Park. If we include just one comment, that comment looks as if it is the only relevant conclusion to come out of that Strategy. That would be a dangerous misinterpretation and misrepresentation of the Strategy. Page 16 mentions the Herne Bay Area Action Plan 2010 (HBAAP). It is worth mentioning that the HBAAP recognises the importance of the Downs as an unspoilt space and as protected land. The boundaries of the HBAAP were specifically redrawn to exclude land near the Kings Hall, thus avoiding any negative impact on the Downs and on the protective designations that it carries by any development proposed in the HBAAP. The HBAAP therefore does not cover the vast majority of the Downs.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 6 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

The bullet points listed from the HBAAP as relevant to the Coastal Park do not all seem to be relevant, and appears to have been cut and pasted from elsewhere. We have already questioned how the vision for the Park will support/enhance the vision for the Pier. We think it critical that these two important projects not be allowed to run in different directions one from the other.

CHAPTER 9 Beacon Hill, the Downs to Beltinge We accept that this is a Plan for the whole Park, but the wildlife richness and diversity of the Downs section is significantly under-recorded here. As well as the KWT survey, we have the Perry report, records from BirdTrack, and records from the Kent and Medway Biological Records Centre. The list in the Plan grossly understates the range of wildlife on the Downs section. As a comment that applies to each of these sections, we are not sure of the purpose of the Focus on: sections as they look at one species only. Is this intended to guide management actions or is it just a taster of the flora and fauna of that section of land? At the moment, these sections suggest that the most important species in that area from a management perspective is the one listed in the Focus on: section. We think this is unhelpful. In the management recommendations, the Plan says: Consider varying the grass cutting on the lower slopes between Beltinge and Hillborough, to reduce the dense sward Monitor scrub and tree species retain isolated areas of scrub, consider scrub removal where scrub is encroaching towards the lower slopes We think this needs to be worded more carefully. The action that made its way to the photo boards at the Kings Hall meeting was to undertake an initial cut on the lower slopes. This was not the recommendation by KWT. The recommendation by KWT was: It is recommended that consideration could be given to identifying some discrete areas nearer the promenade, which could be cut and cleared periodically in order to encourage the development of a more diverse plant community; perhaps aiming for a mosaic of 80% longer vegetation and scrub / 20% shorter sward. [] The current extent of scrub across the Beltinge and Hillborough slopes was considered to be ideal, but some control may be necessary in the future in order to prevent its spread down the slopes, which may be to the detriment of other botanical and invertebrate interests. (our bold)

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 7 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

The Friends of the Downs have offered to take the action to consider this possible action and to do the necessary research to recommend whether or not it makes sense to vary the grass cutting on the lower slope and at what stage it might make sense to remove scrub on the lower slopes. Given the sensitivity of the site and the wildlife diversity we have in the Downs section, it would be irresponsible of us to do more cutting without knowing what we are trying to achieve and whether we would do any harm. The final bullet point in the KWT management recommendations in the draft Plan is to monitor arts projects to ensure there is minimal impact to plant species. We support this wholeheartedly and would dearly love to be allowed to put our community arts projects into action. We still want to pursue the idea we presented to the Council of a hogs fennel nursery towards the eastern end of the Downs section. Natural England is in strong support. The project would lend itself to being a cheap project which would rely on community support. If it were successful, the Hogs Fennel project could really help us to put Herne Bay on the map in terms of what we are doing in wildlife conservation. Bishopstone Glen to Reculver There is a management action to maintain a more open channel in the Glen. We are not sure why this is desirable. Is this an idea that arose because it would definitely benefit more wildlife or is it simply because it was thought of as a nice idea? We would support the former but be wary of the latter unless we were all clear that a more open channel would not harm the existing wildlife.

CHAPTER 11 11.1 A Welcoming Place W1 The marketing plan must be driven by a clear, unifying vision of what the Park is; who we want it to be for; and how we want to attract people to it. W2 Its a great idea to have this low-key, consistent signage throughout the Park. We need to ensure that we do not just add signage, but also take this opportunity to remove some and/or re-site some. At the moment, some of our landscapes are blighted by sign and other infrastructure clutter. For example, a prime view up the Downs from the town has at its apex a dog poo bin and the back of an interpretation board. We make a heartfelt plea for sensitive placing of signs that adds to rather than detracts from some of our views and the unspoilt nature of some parts of the Park. This would be in line with the recommendation made by the Councils landscape experts in the Landscape Appraisal of the area. If there is to be a telescope concession on the Downs, great care needs to be taken over the siting of any telescope. Again, we support the recommendations in the Councils Landscape Appraisal, which are strongly against introducing more visual clutter onto the Downs. This does not mean that we do not support the idea of a telescope indeed, we suggested this in

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 8 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

our Management Plan a couple of years ago but we want to avoid insensitive placement of man-made articles that break up the skyline and spoil what the Councils expert described as the special sense of place that the Downs has. 11.2 Healthy, Safe and Secure We need one clear CCC point of contact for all these issues so that various community groups know exactly where to take an issue that affects the Park. The benefit of doing this is that there would then be one place in CCC where an overall picture of all the issues in the Coastal Park is held and developed. H2 As with signage, its important when looking at litter management to think not just about where bins should be sited for practical purposes, but also the impact that they have on the overall appearance of the park and how any negative impact can be minimised. H3 This says that public toilets are required across the area. We assume that this will be a project in itself; that the Park will be reviewed as a whole; and that community groups will be involved in deciding where toilets should be sited. H4 This says provide car parking near the Kings Hall but no indication is given as to where this could be provided. It has been suggested previously that the Downs could be used for parking. Our research shows that, when this has been proposed formally in the past, the idea has been vigorously resisted by local residents. We have no idea whether the idea in this draft Plan is to use the Downs for parking, but the Friends of the Downs represents a large group of residents opposed to losing any of the public open space that makes up the Downs. Moreover, the fact that there is not enough open space in Reculver ward now makes it difficult to see how part of the Downs could be taken for this purpose. Please can we know more about this proposed action where is this parking to be sited and what is the rationale behind it? H5 and H6 These actions suggest trade waste bins for the beach near the Kings Hall and for Spa Esplanade. We assume that this is as a response to bins not being emptied frequently enough on busy summer days to cope with the amount of rubbish. A better response than ugly trade waste bins on the seafront would be a more responsive litter collection regime in the busy periods. Failing that, we need to consider carefully where such bins could be placed where they will not be an eyesore or fire risk. It is also worth mentioning that trade waste bins sometimes encourage local people to get rid of their larger items of household rubbish in the bins rather than disposing of them properly. We do not want to create a problem with dumping near the beach at the Kings Hall which we do not have at the moment.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 9 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

11.3 Landscape Management Use of pesticides and herbicides In keeping with the aspiration to acquire Green Flag status, we recommend that the Park should be managed without using pesticides and herbicides. We were very surprised this year to see herbicides used on a wide section alongside the path that goes along the top of the Downs to the beacon car park on Reculver Drive. There was no particular problem with the growth here, beyond the fact that no maintenance cut had been done at all during the summer. The use of pesticides and herbicides is not in keeping with the various wildlife designations for the Downs section of the Park. Moreover, the Downs is a man-made landscape that is designed to drain freely into the sea, and the coast here is a SSSI. We doubt that Natural England would support the use of pesticides and herbicides, given the likelihood of them draining into the coastal SSSI. Hampton Pier and Spa Esplanade What is the vision for this area? Is it mainly for residents who are beach hut owners and for members of the Clubs? At the moment, walking from the Hampton end of the Coastal Park towards the central area, the visitor is offered nothing but a narrow footpath looking at the back of a long row of beach huts. Sea views are interrupted and access to the beach is not obvious. There is nothing here to link this area to the rest of the Park or to suggest that it is worth taking a walk eastwards. Beacon Hill, the Downs to Beltinge We offer the following assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats relevant to the Downs section:

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 10 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

S TRENGTHS
Large piece of semi-wild land right next to the town and the coast History of low interference in the management of the land Something unusual stable, north-facing, coastal clay slope Role as sea defence and fragility of the land makes it unsuitable for development Wide range of flora and fauna Much loved and well-used by local people Frequent users (dog walkers) who are prepared to keep an eye on the site Great views out to sea and along the coast, including views of four wind farms Perfect for informal recreation Many access points Runs alongside the sea Cycle path along the promenade Robust vegetation current use levels dont make a visible impact All year round appeal used in sun and snow alike Low maintenance to keep the land in its current state Apart from the previous Victorian shelter, no buildings to maintain

W EAKNESSES
No long term vision for care and maintenance of the land Role as part of the sea defence might limit some planting options Incomplete knowledge of existing flora and fauna on site Less than ideal access for people with disabilities Dog fouling can be a problem Unthinking destruction by some adjacent landowners (Miramar) Only one set of public toilets Under-marketed and ill-signposted Concrete upstand is an eyesore Vandalism of the shelter near the Kings Hall Ageing and unlovely paths and steps A few highly visible properties whose owners sometimes do things that detract from the Downs Ad hoc introductions of signs and planting that are not in keeping with the Landscape Appraisal, nor in keeping with our ecological aims Use of pesticides

O PPORTUNITIES
Informed long term management plan to be developed using KWT survey Community involvement in some improvement projects such as beautifying the concrete upstand Schoolchildren becoming more ecologically aware and keen to get involved in relevant projects Possibility of becoming a Hogs Fennel breeding ground Proximity to wind farms gives us a real opportunity to position the site as part of a green, sustainable, ecologically-aware future

T HREATS
Possibility of brambles taking over the whole site if left unchecked Potential loss of habitats if the current infrequent but radical mowing programme continues Private leisure development could ruin the natural beauty of the Downs and stop people from using the whole site Landslip If we are too successful in marketing the site, overuse could damage the sites ecology and gently wild appearance Inappropriate maintenance plans could cause longer term damage to the environment and the habitats it supports

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 11 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

L14 Despite the discussion at the Kings Hall, this part of the updated draft Plan still mentions an initial cut at the rear of the promenade at Beltinge and Hillborough. This needs to be replaced with: Research the wildlife implications of a change to the cutting regime at the rear of the promenade at Beltinge and Hillborough and decide whether there would be any benefit in making such a change. L15 This still says consider managing scrub encroaching on lower slopes. This needs to be replaced with: Research the wildlife implications of managing the scrub on the lower slope and decide what the best management approach would be. L17 Each year, the Friends of the Downs will check on the appearance of the brown tail moth tents and consult with CCC as to whether any action needs to be taken. L19 To our knowledge the Alexanders are not monitored now. We suggest that the action should be to research how best to manage them to encourage plant diversity, and then to make a recommendation that can go into the grounds maintenance contract. We have noted that the Alexanders are most prolific where they are cut and the cut material left on the ground. It is possible that the current maintenance regime is encouraging the spread of Alexanders. We would like to add a project. L20 Develop a project proposal for the introduction of a Hogs Fennel nursery on the eastern slopes of the Downs, using the expertise of Natural England and involving local wildlife groups to support us in carrying out the practical work.

The Downs is a valued breathing space for people and a thriving haven for wildlife. The Plan should aim to protect it as a slice of healthy nature, right on the towns doorstep, and a welcome piece of peaceful outdoors, away from the more commercial central area of the Park and coast. The guiding management themes for the Downs agreed with CCC in September 2010 are: Public, not private Open and free Unspoilt, but not unkempt A valuable breathing space for the town A thriving haven for wildlife Ecologically sensitive and sustainable.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 12 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

Our aims for the Downs should be to: Protect, conserve and enhance the Downs as a natural and informal green open space, neither compromising its natural integrity nor losing what makes it special its semi-wild nature Keep the land open and free for local people and visitors to use just as the original donors intended Understand, recognise and protect the ecological diversity of the Downs Be responsible neighbours to the sites bordered by the Downs, particularly those that are designated as SSSI, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites Use the Downs to promote ecological and environmental understanding and responsibility Encourage people to take pride in the Downs as the gem that it is - a piece of land that is nationally and internationally recognised as important for the wildlife that it supports Protect the special sense of place of the Downs so that people can enjoy its peaceful and natural character Work closely with a range of local stakeholders including Canterbury City Council, Natural England, Kent Wildlife Trust, Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group, Kent Mammal Group, the local PACT, Herne Bay in Bloom, relevant local community groups, and people who use the Downs.

Bishopstone Glen and Reculver L24 again, we are not sure why it is considered desirable to clear the channel at Bishopstone Glen. It would be helpful if the hoped-for benefits could be articulated. L25 We assume that the garden will be of plants that are appropriate to the site and habitat.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 13 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

11.4 Culture, Heritage and Infrastructure Hampton Pier and Spa Esplanade C1 Again, better access to the beach would be a great idea as access on this stretch is particularly poor, limited for the most part as it is to narrow gaps between the beach huts. What is envisaged here? How would access be improved? Central Herne Bay C2 For whose benefit are the swing moorings and what kind of expenditure would we be looking at? Is the idea that this would bring more visitors to the town? How do we know that they would? This goes back to our overarching concern that the Plan is currently a collection of unconnected ideas and projects. There might be a huge benefit to the Park and town in having more swing moorings. There might be none. It might be the best thing we could spend project money on. It might be a waste of money that could have more impact if we spent it elsewhere. We really do need a considered overview of all the spend planned for the Park and a prioritisation exercise. Lastly, careful thought needs to be given to the siting of the various concessions that have been agreed by Council officers, given the number of people who move along the promenade in the summer. C9 and C10 Where is the beach BBQ pit intended to be? How will access to the bathing hut be managed? Again, might we be better off investing this money in a project that will have more impact across the whole Park? C12 We are strongly in favour of better quality concessions. We are strongly in favour of a coherent approach to the letting of concessions. We think that concessions should be discussed at the community meeting planned for December 2012. This should include discussion of ideas for concessions that have been submitted to the Council and rejected. C13 It is not entirely clear whether the planned activity space is in the same area where KWT recommends conservation of the plants in the sand and shingle (p 23). C15 Again, this might be a great idea. Roller hockey is part of the towns history and something unique to us. However, without a clear strategy for the whole Park, we risk having, for example, a modern statue in one kind of material near a reproduction Victorian bathing hut, an (say) Australian BBQ pit, some ad hoc concessions, a re-worked Pier and the towns central visitor offering will look incoherent and an aesthetic mess. We really urge the Council not to progress a series of one-off ideas until we have a unifying theme, style or strategy to bring them together.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 14 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

Herne Bays seafront is already visually a bit of a mess (and we say this as people who love the town dearly). Please dont let us make it worse by progressing every idea that comes forward without thinking about how, or whether, it will add to the vision for the Park as a whole. Beacon Hill, the Downs to Beltinge C17 and C19 The community partners for the Victorian shelter and seating should include the East Cliff Panel who have been working on this for many months. C18 Where is the lighting intended to be? Given how displeased local residents were with the lighting for the Barnes Wallace statue, it is worth being very clear about where this is intended to be installed; the style, direction and brightness of the lighting; and what it is intended to achieve. C20 We think this action has lost a little in the translation. What was intended was not a beach huts mural, but a wildlife garden with plants that would naturally be in this habitat, with pebble murals designed by local people on the walls behind the planting. 11.5 Community delivery CM4 Can we add here FotD as a community partner as we suggested some time ago that we would like to use driftwood and reclaimed groynes for the coastal garden. CM7 We are not sure what this action actually is and whether there is a cross over with C20?

CHAPTER 13 MONITORING, REPORT AND REVIEW It is suggested that monitoring of the action plans will take place on bi-annual basis in partnership with the range of organisations involved in delivering the management plan. An annual progress report will then be taken to the Herne Bay Area Member Panel, presented by the community. Does this mean that our first chance to get the Members approval to any changes in the Plan is one year after we start work? It might make more sense to report to Members after the first six-monthly review.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 15 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS We have the opportunity to bind this seven kilometre stretch of coast together in a way that does not detract from its key asset i.e. its diversity. Herne Bay is unusual in that it has: Developed coast with beach huts in West Bay Retail coast in the central area Natural coast in the Downs and in Reculver Country Park.

We should retain all three and make a key selling point of our something for everyone offering. We want to integrate the entire Park without in any way detracting from the distinctly different experiences and mood that each section of the Park has to offer. This is critical we need to make the most of what makes our coast different rather than becoming a poor version of some other towns coastal frontage. We also need to tie the three different sections together in a way that encourages people to use the Park and then peel off into town to spend money. Why not capitalise on the cycle route by having a dedicated area in the central area where cyclists can secure their bikes while they wander into local cafes and pubs to buy something to eat and drink? Why not set up running and exercise routes along the seven kilometre stretch of coast and market this? There would be little needed in the way of infrastructure for this a few routes mapped out and signposted discreetly would do it. We should also look at specific events that could take place through the year along the Park. We already have the Festival and the Zombie Crawl. Why not a have a pedal car race along the front, like they do in New Milton (http://www.NewMiltonGrandPrix.co.uk)? The British Pedal Car Championships hold events up and down the country in the summer - why not invite them here? The Zombie Crawl is already getting recognition, and we note that a local church this year held a let there be light festival as a counter-balance to the Zombie Crawl. It would be a superb idea to persuade them to meet the zombies in the Park - all suitably attired - for a harmless contest (ping pong?). No other town has an event like this. The proposed soul/jazz/funk event at the Pier is another event that has the potential to put the town on the map and draw in visitors. In an ideal world, we would have an event every six weeks or so that is capable of drawing people to the town from a wide area. We already have the festival and we could bring the Classic Car Show to the Park by using the seafront. The wind surfing championships could be a regular feature (and much better marketed). In an ideal world, people would come to the Park and be encouraged to visit our local businesses and part with some money. If we achieve that, the Park will really start to work for the town and its regeneration.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 16 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

APPENDIX - EXTRACT FROM THE F RIENDS OF THE D OWNS DRAFT M ANAGEMENT P LAN 2011
WIDER POLICY CONTEXT

The Downs stretches from Canterbury Road in the west to the border with Reculver Country Park in the east, and extends from the roads and back gardens that border it in the south to the mean high tide line in the north, covering about 72 acres (29 hectares). For the most part, the Downs is owned by Canterbury City Council. The Downs is recognised by Canterbury City Council as both Protected Open Space and undeveloped coast, where development will not be permitted if it detracts from the unspoilt quality or scientific value of the land. It is also recognised as internationally and nationally important and carries a number of protective designations.

Aerial view of the Downs in relation to Herne Bay The Downs is: Part of the Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay Ramsar site (3UK078). This is an international designation and means that the site is subject to the same strict legal protection as European designated nature conservation sites In a Special Protection Area (SPA). This is an international designation. Pollution or deterioration of SPAs must be avoided and the Plan will reflect the fact that we must do nothing that could result in significant disturbances for the wild birds that use this site In the protected buffer zone of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This is an international designation and recognises the importance of the site for wildlife other than birds. An SAC has the full protection of the Habitats Directive

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 17 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs

Thanet Coast SSSI (Unit 4) 80.05 hectares; OS Map Ref - TR208689

Part of the Thanet Coast Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This is a national designation and recognises the importance of the lands flora, fauna, geological and physiographical features. Natural England is the guardian of the UKs SSSIs and will be an important decision maker and partner for us.

The Herne Bay Area Action Plan recognises the importance of the Downs. The boundaries of the Plan were specifically redrawn to exclude land near the Kings Hall, thus avoiding a negative impact on the Downs and on the protective designations that it carries.

Showing original and modified outlines

The Downs falls almost entirely in Reculver ward and borders the residential area of Beltinge. This area is recognised in Canterbury City Councils ward-by-ward assessment of open space provision as an area that is distinctly under-provided for when it comes to open space. The Downs therefore plays a critical role in local residents informal outdoor recreation as the largest piece of open space in a ward that has less open space than it needs.

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Aerial view of Ward boundary at the western end of the Downs

In the Herne Bay and Whitstable Landscape Appraisal of 2000, the Downs was listed as a highly sensitive and distinctive landscape. The guideline given was that the Downs should be conserved. Specifically, the guidance was that this meant keeping the number of introduced elements to a minimum and that the focus should be to protect and enhance their wildlife potential and reflect the nature conservation designations.

The Downs is home to plants listed as notable in the Kent Biodiversity Action Plan such as Spiny Restharrow and Dyers Greenweed. It is also home to slow worms and common lizards, skylarks, and hedgehogs all of which are listed as priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Once up to date ecological surveys have been completed, we will have a much better idea of what other important species are living happily on the Downs. The Herne Bay Conservation Area Appraisal describes the Downs as having a special sense of place. The Downs is a steep clay slope that borders the coast. It is an important part of the sea defences for eastern Herne Bay. Previously vulnerable to landslip, the Downs is now honeycombed with a network of drains and is surveyed and monitored by the Council for movement. An application to register most of the Downs as a Village Green was submitted in September 2009. That application is currently being considered by Kent County Council and will stand or fall on a legal interpretation of the status of the land. The fact that that application has yet to be determined has no impact on this Management Plan. Whether the Downs is registered as a Village Green or not, the Plan focuses on the landowner (Canterbury City Council) and the community working together to care for the Downs. This partnership will be a critical resource for managing the Downs going forward, whether or not the land is registered as a Village Green.

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It is clear from all of the above that sensitive and knowledgeable management of the Downs is critical to maintain and enhance its current status as a special and ecologically important place. We will want to keep artificial and introduced elements to a minimum whilst ensuring that we pay attention to the role that the Downs plays in the local ecological environment. At the same time we want to keep the Downs as an accessible and informal green space for local people and for visitors alike. Finally, we can do nothing that will in any way prejudice the underground engineering works that keep the Downs stable.

QEII Coastal Park Draft Management Plan 20 of 20 Response from the Friends of the Downs