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Pensioner told to let his home fall into sea

Tue Nov 18 02:25PM

A pensioner has launched a High Court legal battle against a government-funded organisation after he was told that he must not prevent his cliffside home from falling into the sea.

Peter Boggis, a retired engineer, built his own coastal defences to prevent erosion that was threatening his home as well as neighbouring properties.

But Natural England wants the fossil-bearing cliffs on which the houses stand to wear away, exposing soil and rock that they want to study.

In 2006 it declared that the area was a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Mr Boggis was banned from maintaining his ‘soft sea defences'.

The 77-year-old is currently arguing at London's High Court that Natural England has acted beyond its powers and has no legal right to prevent him from defending his home.

The case, which is believed to have cost around £50,000 to bring to court, is "extremely critical for all people living along the coast" as they might also be prevented from protecting their homes, according to Mr Boggis.

Gregory Jones, Mr Boggis' lawyer, told Mr Justice Blair - the brother of the former Prime Minister - that the purpose of SSSIs was to conserve or preserve geological features, not to study the results of cliff destruction.

Natural England argues that it had a legitimate scientific interest in allowing the sea to erode the cliffs.

Comments11 - 20 of 509

I wonder who funds Natural England..? Wouldnt be the good old taxpayers would it? These people need to take a good look at what they are doing here and forget this court case.

From peterhillscars on Tue Nov 18 03:21PM
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I feel for this gent and all other homeowners in the area. Well done for standing up for your rights. This country has gone PC mad, I bet all the residents that have not worked hard all their life for their own home have been moved and been paid for it. Where is the justice in this country?

From p.walsh1 on Tue Nov 18 03:23PM
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I presume Natural England will compensate or bear some responsibility for the reconstruction of the properties they are condeming

From geobbrown on Tue Nov 18 03:25PM
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Terrible if only he had been an ethnic minority. The goverment doesn't hesitate to give failed asylum seekers £6000, yes £6000 of our tax payers money so that they can go back too aphganistan where £6000 can buy 3 houses. This goverment is anti white anti Christian and anti British,. so who is pulling their strings ?

From apdavidson on Tue Nov 18 03:26PM
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it's rediculous

From grinton15 on Tue Nov 18 03:29PM
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What are they ging to study..? Sand? Dead lizards? Its tripe like this that lost Britain it's empire and made us the 2nd rate country we are today.

From mkierznowski on Tue Nov 18 03:30PM
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Natural England!
Another quango that needs to go in these austere times.
I've lived near here all my life and ther's not a lot to study that can't be found in other areas.Labour Cronies using Our money to only there benifit.

From spdexter_uk on Tue Nov 18 03:32PM
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either rehome him or tell Natural England to let him have his soft sea defences and find another patch to stare at and watch it fall apart

From s_jhill2003 on Tue Nov 18 03:35PM
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It's about time "Civil Servants" remember who pays them and who the SERVE! Taxpayers should stopped paying tax until these people remember who their ultimate employer is - us!

From redsunisrising on Tue Nov 18 03:39PM
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once its washed into the sea its no longer England so what are the tw*ts from Natural England on about.If they are so keen to study there make them stay in the house till it falls off the cliff.

From chrishardy1 on Tue Nov 18 03:40PM
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