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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.

Comments41 - 50 of 509

Good luck to Mr Boggs,its time we all stood up to these stupid people.I hope he wins but I doubt it ,not with Teflon Tony's brother as the judge.

From terryporritt on Tue Nov 18 04:22PM
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This is nonsense! The man should have a right to his home. And "Natural England"!! There's no such thing, this country doesn't have anything close to natural features....stop fooling yourselves and everyone else with nonsense...if we had a Grand Canyon or Barrier Reef I can understand!

From dreamweaver085 on Tue Nov 18 04:23PM
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Hitler perceived using the Jews for scientific study was acceptable behaviour, millions of people gave their lives to prevent such wanton destruction in aid of scientific research. This sounds like the first step back to those dark days, we start by ordering someone not to defend their home, unless they want to lose their freedom too, next they'll make the same threat when he tries to stop them using his wife for scientific experiments.

From overlord125 on Tue Nov 18 04:23PM
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Natural England ? there is nothing natural happening in this once mighty country we call England. I served my country in 5 conflics and was proud to do so but now i am ashamed to be thought of as an easy push over when some dodering old fool wants to do crazy things like this. I think its about time for the revolution. Every Englishman for himself and family SOD the rest of them.

From kenwilliamshome on Tue Nov 18 04:23PM
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Well the fossils have been there for a long time and Natural England have waited this long to study them - surely a few more decades won't matter against a living person trying to protect his home.

From beth_smithson on Tue Nov 18 04:23PM
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Pathetic. Natural England should pay to rehouse Mr Boggis in a home (of his choosing) of an equal value. AND pay his court costs for forcing a pensioner to have to launch a court case over such a ludicrous issue. Imbeciles.

From thrannis on Tue Nov 18 04:24PM
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absolute joke. i hope the guy wins.

From thehumanpiranha on Tue Nov 18 04:24PM
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natural england should purchase this mans property from him if they want to study the effects of errosion on the cliff, otherwise this man has every right to protect his property, where is this man going to live when his home falls in to the sea???? let alone the fact that no insurance company would pay up for the loss, and the fact that this man is too old to be able to afford another mortgage. natural england are off their trollies, purchase the property and then do with it what you chose, otherwise butt out and let this man protect his home the best he can.

From keziastormstar on Tue Nov 18 04:24PM
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gosh, are there NO OTHER CLIFFS in this island nation these idgits can study? Bet if it were their homes about to go over it would be a different story

From lori93 on Tue Nov 18 04:24PM
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so a 77 year old man's home will be destroyed-so natural england can study the soil? Why couldn't they buy the house off him so he could have money for a new one? s@#$%bags.

From sherriffflood on Tue Nov 18 04:24PM
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