Wonderful sunny morning - now extending my walking distance and increasing the speed. Today, head North towards the cliffs. This view is of the entrance to the backwaters with Harwich & Felixstowe beyond.
A bit of background to Walton, the Naze, what's happening etc.
The Naze is part of Walton-on-the-Naze, a seaside town on the East Coast of England lying some 70 miles north-east of Greater London. It is an area of natural beauty in the form of a 'nose' surrounded by water on three sides, protecting Hamford Water to the west which is a UK and European (EC Directive 79/409) conservation site. To the east is the North Sea - and to the north, Harwich harbour and the entrances to the rivers Stour and Orwell.
The name of the town comes from its original “Aelduluesnasa” (Aedwulfsness) meaning Edwulf’s Promontory. Edwulf was probably a local tribal chief in Ancient Britain. Over time the name became shortened to Altun’s Naze from which the modern name has come (adding a ‘w’ and putting an ‘o’ for the ‘u’). The Doomesday Book has Aelduluesnasa down for 40 smallholders, 86 villagers and six slaves… Seven hundred years later, as the Late Georgian seaside resort of Walton-on-the-Naze started to develop, the population was still less than 300 inhabitants.
The Living Naze Project
Protest sign
The Living Naze Project is a proposed 'Not-For-Profit' (if you can believe that) conservation visitor attraction set in 700 acres of private land (ah!! now I understand where the money would go) on the Naze peninsula at Walton-on-the-Naze in north east Essex. It is being promoted as:
- a "showcase for all things natural"
- the restoration of natural habitats to advance bio diversity
- a demonstration of the impact of climate change (if there is such a thing) measured through the local geology history and ecology of the peninsula
- the restoration of Walton Hall Farm to its 1,000 year old roots (that'll cost a bit - who benefits?) to yield premium-label, natural produce and
- the provision of nature trails that display the area's geology, flora, fauna and wildlife.
The project (as proposed) would be managed through the "gateway" of the Walton Hall Barns complex where the natural assets of the area would be "painted" by the creative team, visitors would be able to taste and buy local produce and natural foods, groups would be able to use the conference and educational facilities or simply go out and enjoy the Naze.
Tendring District Council's planning department received extenal (June 2006) legal counsel's opinion on their proposed planning committee report on the Living Naze. Counsel recommended that the planning department obtain a detailed plan of improvements to the Naze car park in addition to the Heads of Terms agreement that Living Naze have already entered into with the Council.
Whilst there appear to be several websites and interested parties who support this proposed project, I haven't been able to find any which support the views of the group 'AAND' (Action Against Naze Development.) In my opinion, simply dismissing them as NIMBY's isn't good enough and calling others names because you disagree with them always looses you credibility (when will they learn.)
Promise to get back to lighter stuff (trivia) tomorrow.
Labels: Coastal photos
