AN EXCAVATION at the far end of the little-used Nahoon Caravan Park has angered residents living metres from the park at some of East London’s most elite addresses.
They said they were not consulted about the dig, which has sliced into a lengthy stretch of the dune field after bush was cleared.
However, after a visit by the Green Scorpions last week, the clearing operation has stopped amid fears the remainder of the dune could collapse in the event of heavy rainfalls.
Rosyth Road resident Jeremy Cocks, whose garden ends just metres from the excavation, said residents were not consulted about the project.
“The bush was cleared about six months ago and then about 10 days ago the excavation was done quickly in about a 24-hour period. I only became aware of it when I walked down there and saw the devastation,” said Cocks.
He said he was told the purpose of the clearing was to establish another tier for campers to pitch their tents.
“But the caravan park has not been full since I was a child. It is certainly under-utilised so what amazes me is that they dug into dune vegetation to extend it. They should have consulted residents first.”
Cocks said he was concerned rain could undermine the remaining dune. “Two years ago during heavy rains a lot of sand washed down to the end of the campsite so they will now have to bolster that bank.”
Nahoon Mouth resident John Small said he could not understand the reason for the clearing.
“It’s like a Monty Python – the park hasn’t been full for the last 30 years. In the last few weeks there has not been a single caravan there. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it because the community should first have been consulted.”
Nahoon Point Nature Reserve chairman Kevin Cole, who is also the East London Museum’s principal scientist, visited the site with the Green Scorpions.
He said it appeared the park manager had “acted off her own bat” and cleared the site without following correct procedures such as informing the coastal and biodiversity unit at the department of environmental affairs.
The excavation has now been discontinued pending an investigation into drainage and dune stabilisation, he added.
Cole said the embankment on either side of the clearing needed to be stabilised to prevent “dune slumping” which could result after heavy rainfalls.
“There is still a heavy load of vegetation growing above the clearing that could bring it down if it is not stabilised.”
Cole said although it was fortunate that no protected species had been destroyed in the operation, the caravan park was considered to be part of the green belt which abuts the proposed extension of the Nahoon Point Nature Reserve, and as such should be treated sensitively.
BCM did not respond to Dispatch questions regarding the matter. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Caravan Park excavation infuriates Nahoon residents
They said they were not consulted about the dig, which has sliced into a lengthy stretch of the dune field after bush was cleared.
However, after a visit by the Green Scorpions last week, the clearing operation has stopped amid fears the remainder of the dune could collapse in the event of heavy rainfalls.
Rosyth Road resident Jeremy Cocks, whose garden ends just metres from the excavation, said residents were not consulted about the project.
“The bush was cleared about six months ago and then about 10 days ago the excavation was done quickly in about a 24-hour period. I only became aware of it when I walked down there and saw the devastation,” said Cocks.
He said he was told the purpose of the clearing was to establish another tier for campers to pitch their tents.
“But the caravan park has not been full since I was a child. It is certainly under-utilised so what amazes me is that they dug into dune vegetation to extend it. They should have consulted residents first.”
Cocks said he was concerned rain could undermine the remaining dune. “Two years ago during heavy rains a lot of sand washed down to the end of the campsite so they will now have to bolster that bank.”
Nahoon Mouth resident John Small said he could not understand the reason for the clearing.
“It’s like a Monty Python – the park hasn’t been full for the last 30 years. In the last few weeks there has not been a single caravan there. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it because the community should first have been consulted.”
Nahoon Point Nature Reserve chairman Kevin Cole, who is also the East London Museum’s principal scientist, visited the site with the Green Scorpions.
He said it appeared the park manager had “acted off her own bat” and cleared the site without following correct procedures such as informing the coastal and biodiversity unit at the department of environmental affairs.
The excavation has now been discontinued pending an investigation into drainage and dune stabilisation, he added.
Cole said the embankment on either side of the clearing needed to be stabilised to prevent “dune slumping” which could result after heavy rainfalls.
“There is still a heavy load of vegetation growing above the clearing that could bring it down if it is not stabilised.”
Cole said although it was fortunate that no protected species had been destroyed in the operation, the caravan park was considered to be part of the green belt which abuts the proposed extension of the Nahoon Point Nature Reserve, and as such should be treated sensitively.
BCM did not respond to Dispatch questions regarding the matter. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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