Local MP Alan Mak has pledged to continue his campaigning work on protecting Langstone Mill Pond, the neighbouring footpath access route and related issues in the surrounding area in 2024, having worked hard on these issues during 2023.
Over the last 12 months, Mr Mak’s work has included:
- Engaging with a wide variety of local residents and community groups to listen to their views;
- Meeting key local decision-makers on multiple occasions to convey residents' views, including senior figures from Chichester Harbour Conservancy, Havant Borough Council, Hampshire Council and Coastal Partners, all of whom play a key role in relation to the future of the Langstone Mill Pond and the wider area. He has also remained engaged with environmental advisor, Natural England;
- Personally inspecting the Mill Pond and surrounding area with Lyall Cairns, Head of Coastal Partners, the local agency tasked with coastal protection which Havant Borough Council is a partner for (click link here for background);
- Calling on local decision-makers including Chichester Harbour Conservancy and other stakeholder organisations to work collaboratively to do all they can to protect Langstone Mill Pond whilst developing a wider long-term strategy to enhance Chichester Harbour more broadly; and
- Securing a commitment from key local decision-makers to attend a meeting Alan will chair in the first quarter of 2024 to agree a way forward and an action plan.
Mr Mak said that whilst he is not a decision-maker in relation to the future of the Mill Pond or the surrounding area, he has made significant progress in bringing together the key players to agree a solution to what is a complex issue.
He also announced he will be organising and chairing a meeting of key local decision-makers in the first quarter of 2024 to agree a way forward.
Whilst he is not in a position to announce anything more yet, he said the meetings he’s held so far were positive and he is hopeful for a good outcome in 2024.
He noted that Chichester Harbour Conservancy, who have been tasked with managing Chichester Harbour, had appointed a consultancy (Royal HaskoningDHV) to produce a technical report into the sea defences from Langstone Mill Pond to Wade Lane. This report – and other proposals from other bodies – will be discussed at Mr Mak’s meeting in 2024.
Alan Mak MP said: “I’ve visited the Mill Pond, the seawall that protects it, the nearby footpath and the separate section of failed sea wall further along the Harbour, guided by experts from Coastal Partners, so I fully understand the issues.
I’ve worked on these topics throughout 2023, and I will continue to do so in 2024, including by organising and chairing a meeting of key decision-makers to reach an agreed solution and an action plan. Whilst I am not a decision-maker on these issues, I will continue driving efforts to protect and enhance this much-loved coastal area.”
Lyall Cairns, Head of Coastal Partners, said, “We welcome Alan’s support for our work collaborating with the Conservancy, local councils and other bodies to develop a holistic solution to improve the environmental health of the Harbour for future generations whilst valuing the heritage, tourism and landscape when considering the protection of the Mill Pond. Alan has consistently shown interest in and support for our work, and we look forward to staying engaged with him and other local stakeholders as we develop a plan.”
Photo: Alan Mak MP inspects the Langstone Mill Pond and surrounding area with Lyall Cairns, Head of Coastal Partners.
