Fears of buildings over White Cliffs of Dover
National Trust says it must raise £1m in three weeks to buy land and protect site for future generations
The vast swathe of countryside above the White Cliffs of Dover could be sold to developers if the National Trust cannot raise £1million in three weeks.
The trust currently manages the threatened five miles of the chalk cliffs and in 2012 bought a mile section to protect the area for the nation.
But it has learnt that the landowner is planning to sell off the managed area, prompting fears that the clifftops could be altered forever by developers. The trust has made an urgent appeal, saying it would be “devastating” if it lost the chance to protect the site.
THE vast swathe of countryside above the White Cliffs of Dover could be sold to developers if the National Trust cannot raise £1million in three weeks to buy one of Britain’s most important landscapes.
The trust currently manages the threatened five miles of the chalk cliffs and in 2012 bought a mile section to protect the area for the nation.
But recently it learnt that the landowner is planning to sell off the managed area, prompting fears that without intervention the expanse of rolling chalk clifftops could be altered forever by developers.
The trust has made an urgent appeal, saying it would be “devastating” if it lost the chance to protect the site.
The unspoilt cliffs are planted firmly in the nation’s consciousness as the gateway to Britain, and played a crucial part in the country’s military history, overlooking the Channel towards France.
The clifftops, which have inspired artists and writers for centuries, are still home to slit trenches and an important battery and range-finding station from the Second World War.
The appeal is being supported by Dame Vera Lynn, whose 1942 war ballad The White Cliffs of Dover secured her reputation as the “Forces’ sweetheart”. “Those iconic White Cliffs mean a great deal to so many people,” she said.
“They were often the first sight of home for our brave boys as they returned from war, and they continue to represent important British ideals such as hope and resilience even in the most difficult times. It is vital that we do all that we can to preserve this important historical site, as well as the crosschannel battery, for posterity, so that the memory of the past is never forgotten by future generations.”
Dover’s White Cliffs are also a haven for nature and wildlife, with more than 40 species of flowers and grasses every three feet, including the early spider orchid and viper’s bugloss.
The chalklands also provide habitat for butterflies such as the Adonis blue and marbled white, and birds including the peregrine falcon and the skylark.
The Daily Telegraph understands that the land, adjacent to Wanstone Battery, costs around £2.5million and the trust is using money from its Neptune coastal fund towards the cost of purchase. But it needs to raise a further £1million by Sept 22 to secure the land, which is owned by a local farmer. If the bid is successful, plans are in place to restore the chalk grasslands, make the military structures watertight and create new access routes for visitors.
Virginia Portman, the general manager of the White Cliffs of Dover, says: “There is something very special about the White Cliffs and for many people the site represents part of our cultural heritage.
“The site should be open for the whole nation to enjoy. It would be devastating if we lost the opportunity to protect it forever.”
The trust said that each £5 donation will protect 3ft of land. Donations that come in after Sept 22, or after the appeal has reached £1million, will support ongoing work to protect this and other coastal landscapes across the UK.
Money can be donated to the appeal at nationaltrust.org.uk/appeal/urgentwhite-cliffs-appeal
‘They still represent important British ideals such as hope and resilience even in difficult times’