The affluent property buyers of new homes proposed in converted derelict naval gunnery buildings may get rather more of a view than they expect. Eastney Beach has for over seventy years been the site of a nudist beach, one of only a handful still remaining on the South Coast of England.
The buildings at Fraser Range gunnery in Portsmouth, Hampshire, overlook Eastney Beach and has been closed since the 1980s. It was historically used to train Royal Navy personnel throughout the Cold War.
The property developers, Orangestar Capital, first proposed the conversion to 134 homes in 2018. They described the development as a ‘fantastic opportunity to regenerate a derelict site’. Promising homes of ‘exceptional quality’, the apartment plans will give residents an ‘acceptable standard of living environment’, as well as handing a £2 million infrastructure investment to Portsmouth City Council.
There has been strong reaction from the circa 200 naturists who use the beach, who fear that buyers will not be aware of how it is being used. Naturists and other local people have put forward 149 objections to the planning application.
One naturist, who has used the beach for over 50 years, believes the application to be a means to stop naturalists using the beach, who have to used a designated area for their activities. David Stares said this was “an abuse of power and will detract from the local community”.
Another said that local people should be free to access the beach to “walk, swim or enjoy water sports” and that this was one of the few that remain that was clean and accessible.
Barry Knell described naturists as “fairly shy and retiring people” although that they were not embarrassed to be seen naked. He was more concerned that the buyers would not be properly informed of how the beach was being used and that their surprise at finding the beach “covered with naked bodies” in the summer would lead to complaints.
Orangestar has said that beach access would be improved by the presence of the development, that is currently in private ownership with no public right of access technically in existence (although not enforced). The company proposed to dedicate Fraser Beach under section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which would create access rights on a permanent basis.
A previous application to develop the gunnery buildings was made in the 2000s but the application was withdrawn.
(Being naked in a public place is not illegal.)