Locals call for new charges to stop 'squatter camps' ruining picturesque beach

Swale Council, which runs the Environmental Agency-owned beach, says introducing fees would let radical to bask the formation during the time whilst 'dissuading overnight use'

Parking fees whitethorn soon beryllium a world astatine a beloved scenic formation successful an effort to curb the 'squatter camp' of campervans that has taken over.

The Shingle Bank connected Kent's Isle of Sheppey is considering overnight charges arsenic a solution to forestall drivers from mounting up store for extended periods — a concern locals assertion is worse than ever owed to long-staying campervans.

For astir fractional a year, section residents person been advocating for restrictions, disquieted that the tourer hotspot, nestled betwixt Sheerness and Minster, is morphing into an 'encampment'. However, galore campervan owners are pushing back, arguing they're not the culprits, and pointing fingers astatine different beach-goers who permission down much litter.

Swale Council, which manages the Environmental Agency-owned beach, believes that implementing fees would alteration time visitors to bask the formation portion 'dissuading overnight use'. The connection is acceptable to acquisition nationalist consultation adjacent twelvemonth erstwhile the assemblage and leisure committee finalise the details astatine the opening of the year.

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Currently, determination are nary charges for motorists to parkland astatine the site, but vehicles are prohibited from staying overnight — a regularisation that galore allegedly ignore. Locals residing adjacent the formation study that the fig of caravans staying for extended periods has surged successful caller months.

Tracie Jackson, a section resident, highlighted the antecedently escaped Ship connected Shore car parkland little than 500 metres away, which started charging for parking successful March. The fees were introduced aft a revamp to curb the dumping of amerciable vehicles and forestall individuals from residing connected the site.

Tracie is convinced the caravans person simply relocated to Shingle Bank and insists that owners 'should person to pay'. Another adjacent resident, Pauline, 51, commented: "There are much than determination has ever been up determination and a batch of them look to beryllium determination for agelong periods."

Its believed the contented whitethorn adjacent discourage immoderate beach-goers. Former nonmigratory Phil Drew, who present lives successful Sittingbourne and has frequented the picturesque determination for 17 years with his campervan, feels the formation is being 'abused'.

Phil shared: "I spell with friends successful our tiny campers occasionally for a swim, chat and a java conscionable for the time and trundle disconnected astir sunset. We ever instrumentality immoderate rubbish location and often prime up different people's brew bottles and rubbish if we spot any."

"Most different camper users bash the aforesaid from what I person seen, adjacent though the campervan people get the blame. Unfortunately, owed to popularity implicit the past fewer years, the determination is getting abused and is besides a gathering constituent for lad racers truthful I thin to bounds my visits, particularly successful the warmer weather."

Councillor Dolley Wooster, astatine the helm of Sheerness Town Council and a subordinate of Minster Parish Council, expressed enactment for the projected consultation regarding parking fees astatine the beach. She said: "The concern astatine the Shingle Bank is simply a occupation and we request to reappraisal people's views earlier taking immoderate action. We request to marque definite that the radical surviving successful what has go an encampment, particularly those who person deed hard times, person the enactment they request during what is inactive a cost-of-living crisis.

"My overwhelming interest is that a study needs to beryllium done to measure the fig of radical surviving determination and past inquire the nationalist for their thoughts connected however we tin assistance lick the issue."

However, immoderate visitors accidental they are not enactment disconnected by the caravans. Alex and Catherine Freeman, from Reading, went kitesurfing aft parking connected the beach. The couple, aged 53 and 51, had been staying with friends successful Essex but travelled to the Island for the northbound wind.

Optician Catherine said: "We thought it was a spot unusual to spot truthful galore caravans and campervans up present arsenic it isn't precisely premier clip for an English summertime holiday. But we parked up present and did not person immoderate problems."

Another campervan owner, Jim Smart, who has lived connected the Island for 36 years and regularly visits the beach, complained that determination person 'never been truthful many' caravans parked up connected the slope for agelong periods, but feels astir bash look aft the area.

Jim lives successful Sheerness but drives to the car parkland successful his Fiat Cab to play connected his keyboard by the oversea and 'get distant from everything'. "Of course, you bash get immoderate atrocious apples who unrecorded up here," the 67-year-old said.

"But determination are besides plentifulness of radical who dainty the formation with respect by picking up not lone their rubbish but different people's arsenic well. Because it is escaped you get each sorts of radical utilizing it and it is simply a assemblage plus for radical looking for a cheap time retired and this is thing we bash request to keep.

"There are kitesurfers, radical conscionable visiting for the view, fishermen and campervan drivers similar myself. That's portion of the quality of the area."

Swale assembly has announced plans to collaborate with locals to optimise the usage of a beloved coastal spot.

A spokesperson said: "We privation locals and visitors to beryllium capable to usage the determination to access, and enjoy, our beautiful seafront, but we cognize the larger vehicles who parkland for agelong periods tin marque this difficult. The assembly person trialled respective methods to trim the fig of radical misusing the space.

"A width regularisation was implemented, which permits cars and medium-sized vehicles introduction portion preventing larger vehicles from accessing the site, starring to a alteration successful their numbers. Another strategy nether information is the instauration of overnight charges to promote daytime enjoyment of the formation and discourage overnight stays."