In this month's issue:
(Click on a headline to go directly to the article)

Please note, the next issue of Waterlines will be published in February 2007.
We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year

• Sovereign Harbour Ltd withdraws B&Q appeal
• SHRA joins the Pevensey Bay and Normans Bay Flood Planning Group (by Rod Gochin)
• A very eventful year for Sovereign Harbour
• Marina mums
• Harbour Friends (by Bev Adams)
• Vet's Football, ( by Myles Treacy)
• Sovereign Harbour Investment Club
• Make use of the SHRA website
• Why not become an SHRA Sponsor

Also in this issue:

• Support your local team
• Haven School Christnas Fair
• Be a good neighbour
• Christmas Carols with the Lifeboat Crew
• Reliable Tradesmen
• Members' Surgeries
• SHRA Fighting Fund
• Christmas at the Haven Church
• This Month's Sponsors

To contact waterlines, write to:

Waterlines
PO Box 124
Eastbourne
BN24 9AW

Or, e-mail Waterlines

Sovereign Harbour Ltd (SHL) has withdrawn its appeal against the refusal by Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) to grant planning permission for the construction of a B&Q warehouse on the land adjacent to Pevensey Bay Road at Sovereign Harbour.

The Sovereign Harbour project is nearly complete after almost twenty years under construction. Only six development sites and two commercial areas remain to be completed. The Sovereign Harbour Residents Association, with its members' support, vigorously contested the B&Q warehouse application, and also applications for residential development on four of the remaining sites.

The SHRA, with the unanimous, cross-party support of Eastbourne Borough Council, is determined that all remaining development land should be treated as a single entity, and used to provide the infrastructure necessary to deliver the self-sufficient, sustainable community that was at the heart of the original Sovereign Harbour Marina Village project.

In an attempt to seek a way forward SHL's parent company, Carillion plc, employed consultants to identify residents' concerns, and a meeting took place on 7th November with SHRA committee members and Borough Councillors. Although all attendees felt that the meeting was constructive, the residents' representatives and councillors felt that it was difficult to proceed with the prospect of an expensive and bitterly contested Public Enquiry hanging over the harbour. The consequent decision by SHL to withdraw from the appeal was therefore welcomed by all parties, and seen as a positive indication that SHL is serious in its attempt to involve the local community in determining the final outcome of the project.

SHRA chairman Rick Runalls said, "I welcome this move by SHL, and am anxious that the SHRA should respond in an equally positive manner. I see this gesture as a promising indication that we can move from a position of conflict to a position of constructive dialogue that will hopefully result in the sustainable community that harbour residents deserve."

EBC leader, Ian Lucas, added, "This is great news. It shows a genuine commitment from SHL to joint working with the council and the residents, and is to be welcomed. We now need to ensure there is a joined up approach to the remaining sites."

This decision is a massive step forward, and is the result of an enormous effort by a number of individuals and groups. It would therefore seem appropriate, at this time, to put the record straight.
This decision is a victory, not for any particular group or individual, but for common sense. There is still a great deal of work to be done but, for the first time, the prospect of a 'win-win' outcome is possible. All that is required is the combined will of everybody involved to grasp it with both hands.

There can be no doubt that considerable credit goes to Stephen Lloyd for identifying the danger and mobilising harbour residents to fight the B&Q application. Stephen has also given his wholehearted support throughout the campaign, for which we thank him.

A huge vote of gratitude must also go to Zephyr Grayland for the passion with which she took up the cudgel and mobilised the 'No to B&Q' action group. Without her vision and energy we would all by now be spending our weekends queuing to get out into Pevensey Bay Road through the B&Q traffic.

The 'No to B&Q' campaign was also responsible for bringing together the group of individuals who, in May 2005, became the current SHRA committee. This committee, we believe, was primarily responsible for getting the planning application rejected, and persuading Carillion to re-examine the final stages of the harbour development.You should be in no doubt, there is much more involved than just B&Q.

It should also be recognised that gaining the support of the Borough Council has been vital. The regular meetings that have taken place between council leader, Ian Lucas, his cabinet colleagues and SHRA committee members have forged a sound working relationship that allowed a common understanding to be reached of the situation on Sovereign Harbour. A tangible result of this cooperation was the strong motion of support for the SHRA position, which was jointly put to the October meeting of the full council by Ian Lucas and David Tutt, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, and unanimously supported by the members.

Thanks too to all of you who have supported the campaign in so many ways, and the impact created by the hundreds of you who turned out to attend the planning committee meeting was enormous and decisive, of that you can be very sure.

After almost two years of solid resistance we are for the first time in a position to move constructively forward. However, there is still a great deal at stake, and there is no guarantee that we will achieve our objectives. It is therefore absolutely essential that everybody works together for the good of the harbour and the town.

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The latest meeting of the Group was held at the Environment Agency (EA) in Pevensey Bay on 9th August and for the first time the SHRA joined as a permanent member of the Group. It draws together local elected bodies, residents groups and other interested parties under the chairmanship of the East Sussex County Council's Emergency Planning Office (ESCC). Membership includes the Normans Bay Residents Association, the Pevensey Bay Residents Association, EDF Energy, Pevensey Coastal Defence Ltd.(PCDL) and the Environment Agency.

The Group aims to coordinate civil and local authorities' responses to flood dangers and to improve the local flood defences. It places particular emphasis on making sure that residents are involved both in decision making and in the local warning system if any imminent danger occurs.

The Group will be holding an open meeting on 5th April 2007 at St Wilfred's hall. Pevensey Bay where plans and maps will be on display and the EA and ESCC will answer any questions or concerns from local residents (including from Sovereign Harbour). It is hoped to hold a similar meeting at the Haven School later in the year to address specific concerns of the Harbour and to look for volunteers to join the Floodwatch scheme.

Two issues of concern for SH residents have arisen recently. The two very high tides over 8th-11th September and 6 -10th October and the deposition of more shingle on the beach. We were assured that there was very little prospect of the high tides actually breaching the sea defences in this area and thankfully this turned out to be the case. If there were to be exceptionally bad weather conditions in the future, and if you have any concerns, ring the Floodline on 0845-988-1188 (option 3 on answer) which is available 24 hours a day, every day, and you can talk to a human being rather than a recorded message to find out the latest information!

Secondly, Pevensey Coastal Defence Ltd deposited some 20,000 cubic metres of shingle at the harbour end of the beach east of the harbour entrance during October. The shingle was brought in by boat and pumped onto the foreshore in the same way it was last year and was then moved along the beach towards Beachlands by bulldozer and trucks. Unfortunately there was some noise and inconvenience to residents and beach users but this work is of vital importance to the security of all of us who live on the Harbour. PCDL have agreed several improvements to their working schedules

which should mitigate some of the noise and vibration next year. PCDL have also started a long-term project with the University of Brighton to monitor wave action and the movement of shingle along the beach eastwards from the Harbour entrance. Hopefully this will enable more precise decisions to be made on how much shingle will be needed in future years to maintain our defences.

Finally SH residents will have the chance to be involved in a Sussex generic flood plan to be drawn up over the next two or three years which will involve most of the coastal and fluvial areas at risk in Sussex including the Harbour. Look out for more information in Waterlines and on the website.

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As 2006 draws to a close, it seems to have been a very long year that has seen many changes on the harbour. The SHRA has gone from strength to strength and membership is around 800 households. Our target for 2007 is a minimum of 1,000. So, if you're already a member, get ready to renew, and, if you're not, be ready to join us in the 2007-2008 membership year. Waterlines has been a window on the years events and our headlines over the year tell a story.

n February, we highlighted the Sovereign Harbour Trust, to which we are all forced to contribute. We wondered then, as we wonder now, how it was ever allowed to come into existence, and tried to understand how it could be in the control of Carillion appointed trustees, with no representation of harbour residents. It is worth noting that, following pressure from the SHRA, The Environment Agency has at last appointed its three trustees. This welcome move was followed by a very productive meeting between the EA trustees and SHRA committee members. We hope for further meetings in the New Year that will hopefully give us some insight into the way in which the Trust distributes its income, which is entirely provided by us.

In March, we saw Carillion attacking two of the 'Five Sites' with applications for further residential developments and the SHRA launched the 'No More Flats' campaign.

April saw the withdrawal of these applications and the promise by Carillion of further applications that would take a holistic approach and look sympathetically at all of the remaining development land.
So, we were very disappointed in May when Carillion submitted application for residential development on four of the 'Five Sites', including two monstrous plans for even more apartments. on the site designated for a hotel. One was for 100 apartments, the other for 122.

June saw us deeply entrenched, fighting not only for the 'Five Sites', but also the appeal by Sovereign Harbour Ltd to build a B&Q warehouse on Commercial Site One. We were amazed that SHL's appeal was accepted by the Planning Inspectorate despite the fact that B&Q had publicly stated that they were no longer interested in the project.

July and August were spent mobilising opposition to the 'Five Sites applications in the run-up to the planning committee meeting. 'No More Flats' posters were all over the harbour. We were very disappointed that, as with B&Q, two of the applications were recommended for approval by the planning officers.
The September meeting of the planning committee was rescheduled so that the 'Five Sites' applications could be heard alone. The three hundred people who packed the Town Hall Assembly Room cheered as all five applications were unanimously refused.

The October issue carried the splendid news that at a meeting of the full Borough Council, the members had unanimously accepted a motion calling for Carillion to come to the table with representatives of the council and residents to examine how the final stages of the harbour development could provide the infrastructure that has for so long been missing. It also stated that the Humberts Report had been superseded and that there should be no further residential development.

November saw a report which uncovered the shameful manner in which the land owners had been allowed to make a very small financial contribution instead of providing the children's' play areas and playing fields that were demanded by the Borough Plan.

And in this issue, we see that SHL have withdrawn the appeal against EBC's refusal of the B&Q application.
So, what about 2007. At last the prospect of an end to the conflict that has surrounded the harbour development seems tantalisingly close. History has taught us to be cautious but, let's hope the review of 2007 will celebrate the progress that has been made towards the completion of the Sovereign Harbour Marina Village

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'Marina Mums' is a group, set-up by harbour resident, Sam Skull, to provide a social network for mums and 'mums to be' and their babies, toddlers and children. Meetings are held on a monthly basis, to create a social network, and provide an opportunity to get together, to chat, provide mutual support and to discuss local issues and concerns.

The next meeting of Marina Mums will be in Sinply Italian, on Thursday 11 January, starting at 11-12am.

If you would like to go along, or would be interested in future events, please contact Sam.

Phone or text: 07949-687996
or, e-mail Sam

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A very successful social gathering was held at the Garden Bar for the November meeting, with over fifty of us there including quite a few new members. As December is already busy (Harbour Friends Christmas dinner 9th December), we have not planned another meeting, so our next get together will be at the Garden Bar on Wednesday 10th January, and then again at the end of January - venue to be decided, but will be posted on our new website. Also, anything new planned will be put on the website in the next week or so, and then kept updated.

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and extremely prosperous New Year. MAKE 2007 THE YEAR TO JOIN HARBOUR FRIENDS, and see how your life can change with a new social life and great company.

If you are looking for new friends and social activities please either turn up or, if you would like more info about Harbour Friends, please call Bev on 01323 479797 or e-mail bev

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Welcome to the latest instalment of Sovereign Harbour Vets Football Corner. Things have gone pretty well this month. Our star striker Uwe has come back from his injury and shown he hasn't lost any of his scintillating form!Also, Barry the Red has managed to make a whole month without being sent off.

We have now moved indoors, to the Cavendish Sports Centre, seeing as the Winter weather is kicking in and any knocks we get may be amplified by the cold! We also found that we had plenty of guys wanting to play for shirts, but no takers for skins!

We have been playing in a nice centrally heated hall every Sunday. On average, we have a turn out of 10 players which means we 'old, balding and overweight boys' have to run around for a whole hour! So any new players would be welcomed with open arms.

We normally meet at 9.30am and have finished by 10.30am. If Sunday is a day you cannot make, we

have been discussing the possibility of training during the week instead. These discussions normally take place on a Wednesday in either Seymours or the newly opened Garden Bar Public House on the Harbour, at approximately 8pm.

If you are interested in joining our team the only stipulation is that you have to be over 32 years of age and under 80. The only reason we stipulate that you have to be under 80 is because we already have Frank!

We are currently taking a break for the festive season but will be celebrating with our wives and girlfriends, at Simply Italian on the harbour on the 9th December, and then partaking in a few alcoholic beverages in the bars (note to Clive.. that doesn't mean you can bring your wife and your girlfriend!)

So, if you are interested in joining our football team or social circle, please e-mail Frank or phone him on 07771 610158.

Last but not least, everybody involved in Sovereign Harbour's Football Team wishes all the readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

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We reported in the November issue of Waterlines that harbour resident Sam Sweiry would like to hear from other residents interested in forming an investment club in Sovereign Harbour Village.

There has already been sufficient interest for Sam to pursue the idea and he is hoping to have a start-up meeting for the club in the new year. Look out for more information in Waterlines and on the website.

Sam has found a website that prospective members can visit for more information.

If you are interested, or would like more information, please e-mail Sam


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During October, SHRA committee members met the three new trustees of the Sovereign Harbour Trust nominated by the Environment Agency.

The SHRA attendees took the opportunity to convey to the trustees the anger and frustration felt over the way in which the Trust had been set-up, and the refusal of the Carillion appointed trustees to explain how the Trust's income, which is 100% provided by harbour residents, was distributed. They also expressed their concern at the Trust's failure to publish detailed accounts.

Furthermore, the trustees were informed that the refusal of the Trust to consider the appointment of resident trustees was a major concern, and added considerably to the perception that the trust was operating against the best interests of residents.

The trustees explained that their duty was to ensure that the sea defences were adequately maintained, but that they have been told that they have no responsibility for the harbour and marina maintenance, other than to forward the funds collected from harbour residents on the behalf of Sovereign Harbour Ltd. SHRA members expressed the view that the two parts of the trustees duties could not be separated and trustees must take responsibility for all aspects of the Trust's operation.

Overall, considering that all previous requests to meet trustees had met with refusal, everybody who attended the meeting, which took place at the Pevensey Bay Offices of the Environment Agency, felt that it had been very productive. The SHRA members welcomed the assurances of the new trustees that they would do everything in their power to make the operation of the trust, and the distribution of its funds, more transparent.

SHRA members agreed to provide the new trustees with a current list of residents' concerns and it was agreed that a further meeting would take place when the trustees were more settled in their role. It was hoped that a future meeting with all of the trustees might soon be possible.

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The SHRA website, http://www.shra.co.uk, is growing in popularity. So far this year, there have been about 11,500 unique visits to the site, and those visitors have viewed 44,000 pages. After a slow start to the year, the average monthly visits have settled at about 1,600, that's over fifty a day.

The most frequently visited pages, not surprisingly, are the 'News' and 'Waterlines pages and closely behind come the 'Letters' page and the 'For Sale/Wanted' page. What is surprising is that, considering the frequency with which the 'Letters' page is visited, there are so few contributions to it. Please don't be shy, share your opinions with other residents and let us have your comments on the letters that are published.

Also, considering how many of you view the 'For Sale/ Wanted' page', and considering that this is a free service, we receive surprisingly few advertisements.

The website is a very cost-effective way of getting information to you in the shortest possible time, please take advantage of it. Why not make it your 'Home Page'? That way you will get updates as soon as they are posted on the site.

If you are not yet on our mailing list, and would like to be included, e-mail Waterlines

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• 6th January, 2007
• 3rd February, 2007

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