Exclusive: Celia Sawyer weighs in on the Sandbanks fence

Sandbanks resident, Celia Sawyer, has weighed in on a controversial fence that has been gaining national coverage.

For the last week a 40ft fence erected in the luxury neighbourhood has been causing uproar among locals, blocking access to a beach.

One of the houses that backs onto the beach is owned by Interior Designer, Mail Online Columnist and Entrepreneur Celia Sawyer.

Many of the articles written cited her selling her property as a possible reason the fence went up.

Celia said: “I have nothing to do with that fence, I believe it is put up by people that end of the road who perhaps live by the footpath.”

She did however dispute the fact that it’s a beach at all, saying it’s actually a “foreshore”.

She added: “Some of the properties own the land down to the low water mark some own land to the mean high water, the rest is owned by the Canford estate.

“Pathway 82 used to run to the water between the RMYC and Davis Boat Yard and so there was no access to the foreshore.

“The RMYC purchased the boatyard around 2014 and the pathway was then diverted creating 128 extension which still was only access to the water and not the foreshore.”

“The pathway 82 originally existed as a means of access for the coastguard to the water and there is a similar one in old coast guards road which is also access to water.”

The fence that appeared over-night.

The 40ft fence appeared seemingly over-night, running from the back of one property down to the low tide line.

It blocks a section of the beach where locals would throw balls into the sea for their dogs.

It also boasts views of Brownsea Island and Poole Bay, which can provide spectacular sunsets.

The fence runs alongside Public Footpath 82, from Panorama road down to the sea.

Locals are now seeking legal advice, and Sandbanks Community Group chairman Norman Allenby-Smith has claimed to be inundated with messages.

Is the Foreshore public property or not?

According to Brecher.co.uk, a real estate legal firm:

“It is true that the majority of the foreshore in England and Wales is owned by the Crown Estate, however some of the foreshore is now also owned by private landlords. The confusion may arise from the fact that the Crown Estate is the prima facie owner of all foreshore (and seabed) by virtue of prerogative right. This, in effect, means that the Crown Estate owns all of the foreshore unless it has in the past sold it or given it away.”

However locals have been using the area for so long, it is understandably considered a public space.