For consideration at Tuesday’s council Planning Panel (July 16 from 6pm at the Civic Centre) is a proposal to vary a 1998 agreement and lock the waterside walkway at Quay 2000 in St Denys, "thus removing the ability for the general public to access the walkway for recreational purposes at all times".
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But the council officer’s report to the panel suggests rejection of the request to fully close the walkway, and that “a balanced solution” is considered, so it might become open to the public only during daylight hours to mitigate the impact of anti-social behaviour – the reason it’s already been closed to the public since August 2018.
In their comments residents detail much ASB and intimidation on the walkway close to their flats, with some noting that ASB has reduced or stopped since the closure. In a letter to planners, the freeholder also notes the considerable difficulty residents have had in securing police protection to the required degree - on one occasion during a violent fight.
The planning officer's report to the panel says that the application consultation response has “demonstrated a distinct split between those in support of retaining the closure of the Walkway, which in the majority are residents of Quay 2000 and those opposed to the Walkway’s continued closure, referring to the importance of retaining access to the city’s waterfront”.
It adds that only closing it during night time hours “will also not undermine the Council’s policy of access to the city’s waterfront”.
Putting such a change into effect would apparently require further council agreement.
You can read comments for and against the application on the council’s planning website from this link – and there’s been considerable further debate on local Facebook group St Denys Rocks .
The meeting agenda item is available from this link (item 5); you can click through to read the officer’s report, and various other documents are available, including a police response to the application - and an applicant’s response to the police response.
Previously
Could [Bitterne Park] waterfront walkway be close to opening?