Last updated 19:41, Thursday, 03 April 2008

A MAWBRAY garden centre owner has accused Allerdale council of ruining an area of outstanding beauty.

FENCED OFF: Bill James alongside the barbed wire fence erected on the sand dunes at Beckfoot

Bill James said that barbed wire and pig fencing had been placed around sand dunes near his Bank Mill business at Beckfoot, on the Maryport to Silloth road.He claimed to have been told it was to stop gypsies camping there.

But Allerdale council denied any allegation that the fencing had anything to do with gypsies and a spokeswoman said this kind of action against minority groups was illegal anyway.

The spokeswoman said that fencing had been placed around an area identified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Beckfoot.

The land is owned by Allerdale council and managed as a SSSI and as part of the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by the AONB partnership on the council's behalf.

The spokesman said: “Allerdale council has a duty under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act to restore SSSI land to 'favourable' conditions, which means that the land is everything it should be for the wildlife there.

“According to the experts in these matters the most effective way of achieving this is by animals grazing.

“In order to protect the livestock, and motorists from straying animals, the council erected fences on its own land.

“Gates will be put in shortly so that walkers have access,” the spokeswoman said.

But Mr James, owner of the Bank Mill garden centre at Beckfoot, said: “These fences are not in keeping with the area and although other parties have constructed similar eyesores in the past 50 years or so this is no reason why the habit should continue, especially in these days of the changing Rights to Roam legislation.

“At the moment the land is open without pernicious weeds, ragwort, thistles and docks growing along the road side, but they will soon arrive as the fence matures.

“I am told that they want to graze animals on this land just as they do on Caldbeck and in the Lake District but we live on a race track.”

He said a speed restriction on the coast would work just as well to protect the area.