Eyeful Towers! Nudists in row over new f lats with view of their beach
Nudists claim a development of luxury flats could force them off their favourite beach.
Eastney Beach in Portsmouth has allowed naked sunbathers for more than 70 years and is one of only a handful still in use on England’s south Coast.
However, plans to build 134 homes in a derelict naval gunnery building that overlooks the beach have worried naturists who fear buyers won’t be informed that it is ‘going to be covered with naked bodies’ in the summer.
developer Orangestar Capital first submitted plans to the city council to transform Fraser Range in 2018. it described the development as a ‘fantastic opportunity to regenerate a derelict site’ with homes of ‘exceptional quality’ for affluent property buyers. the developer would also contribute a £2million infrastructure investment to Portsmouth City Council.
But the plans have seen a huge backlash from naturists and other locals, with 149 people publicly objecting. One of them, david stares, has been using the beach for more than 50 years. He said: ‘i think this is a ruse to remove the naturists that have used this part of the beach for decades and will have nowhere to go.
‘those wishing to buy a beachfront property may not be very accommodating to nudists laid opposite their expensive apartments during the summer.’
Barry Knell, 67, has been using the shingle beach since 2000 and said: ‘i know other people have been using it for about 60 to 70 years, uninterrupted. From a naturist point of view, we’re fairly shy and retiring people – but we’re not embarrassed to be naked and to be seen.
‘it’s the thought that if they put the development of homes right there, overlooking the beach, they probably won’t inform the buyers properly beforehand that the beach in front of them in the summer is going to be covered with naked bodies.’
the it engineer from neighbouring Gosport said the beach is ‘very well used’ by more than 200 naturists.
A spokesman for Orangestar Capital claimed access to the beach will actually be improved by the development. they said currently no public right of access technically exists, and as part of the plans, access rights would be made official and permanent .
‘in this respect, public rights to access to the beach will actually be enhanced as part of the development proposals,’ they said.