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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.

Comments471 - 480 of 509

Quote: 'The purpose of SSSI's is to PROTECT them. In what way is erosion going to protect the SSSI? This is stupidity by a group of nincompoops!'
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is not necessary a site which is to be protected. There are many SSSI's which were specifically designed to naturally erode in order to enable their further study.

From a_ross_uk on Thu Nov 20 01:04AM
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Like our freedom, erosion is set to get worse.
Then one day we will rally.........

From threealls on Thu Nov 20 08:29AM
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By the time it gets sorted out with all the legal? teams involved,judging by the pictures it all looks very precarious and can only deteriorate. Unless defence work is allowed to continue ,this mans home will be gone.who the bloody hell do the people contesting this basic right to defend your own think they are?where do they live?who pays them?who pays for all the legal fees?why do they think their needs and wishes are more important than somebody else's?

From kim.dwane on Thu Nov 20 10:45AM
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THIS COUNTRY IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FREE DEMOCRACY.TELL THE RESEARCHERS TO GET THERE HEADS IN THE REAL WORLD AND OUT OF THE SAND.

From kim.dwane on Thu Nov 20 10:47AM
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We realy living in a police state. Pay the man the full price of his home and pay all removal costs and any other cost ncessary in the move
Paul Ferguson

From paul.ferguson07 on Thu Nov 20 05:28PM
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We realy living in a police state. Pay the man the full price of his home and pay all removal costs and any other cost ncessary in the move
Paul Ferguson

From paul.ferguson07 on Thu Nov 20 05:29PM
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We realy living in a police state. Pay the man the full price of his home and pay all removal costs and any other cost ncessary in the move
Paul Ferguson

From paul.ferguson07 on Thu Nov 20 05:29PM
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exactly which part of the coastline/ area is this about?

From shirley.burnett1 on Thu Nov 20 06:42PM
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What sort of of a country is england becoming when and englishman can no longer look after his/her home our government are more interested in looking after their own interest and those of people who pay nothing into this country.

From veronicapowell5 on Thu Nov 20 08:00PM
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madness total madness

From veronicapowell5 on Thu Nov 20 08:00PM
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