Opinions of the plans for Cuckmere Haven

The Cuckmere haven restoration project has received a lot of mixed opinions; some believe it is a great idea and will be sustainable in years to come, others disagree and believe it is a bad decision and will jeopardise the surrounding environment and some aren't bothered about what happens as it will not effect them.

The majority of the people who disagree with the project are locals in the area and are concerned about the possible risk of flooding, damage to the vast wildlife in the area and also the beautiful estuary becoming an eyesore. It is understandable that the local residents are worried as the future management of the estuary will affect them, however, on the day we visited Cuckmere haven, only 8 of 34 people travelled less than 5miles to get there, from this I can see why many other people aren't concerned about the Cuckmere haven's future as they won't be affected by the changes being made, which was made clear on our questionnaire results, as shown below

How will the scheme affect you?

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However, not all the local residents are against the plan as Grace Francis confirms stating, "We deserve to be fully protected - no-one warned us when we bought the house this would happen. I don't know how long we will be able to stay in this property." Grace wishes for her home to be protected and believes the restoration project will ensure that her property remains safe and will not be affected by rising sea levels and flooding. Colin King - another local resident, believes that by carrying out the restoration project, the beauty of the estuary will be ruined. He claimed, "Nearly half a million people visit the Cuckmere valley each year. They marvel at the meandering river and will be disappointed to see mudflats."

People who feel strongly about protecting the environment are more likely to be against the scheme, as they believe it could be potentially dangerous for certain wildlife. Others, such as the Sussex Downs Conservation board, believe that the plan is a good option for protecting certain species as it involves connecting the cut-off meander back with the channel. They explained that, "the meanders do not function naturally and are gradually filling up with silt. In the summer of 2003, the hot weather resulted in the death of large numbers of flatfish, flounder and plaice because the shallow water heated up reducing the oxygen available for the fish to breathe in."

From our questionnaire results, I can see that majority of the people asked visited Cuckmere haven for the beautiful views and scenery, which will be dramatically changed by carrying out the restoration project. David Pearce, local retired resident, supports this argument, stating that, "this is an iconic place, an essential part of Sussex's identity. I oppose this proposal".

Overall there are a variety of opinions on whether or not the plan will be a success; the environment agency did consider these points and due to mass dispute, the plan was delayed in 2003.

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