28 March - Rentcharge - 2001 Deed - Our research on the Sovereign Harbour rentcharge continues and we have now published digital copies (PDF) of the Sovereign Harbour Beaches Sea Defence Deed 2001 and its Schedules which together form the basis of the charge, the beach work and the creation of the Sovereign Harbour Trust. Find them here... (halfway down the page). Please let us have any comments on them.
27 March - 
Together We Can Save Lives - A Message From Chief Constable Giles York. "Our policing services are still delivering safety for you whenever you need them. We are all in this together and I know that Sussex communities are responding well." Click here for the video message on YouTube from the Chief Constable...
"Sadly, there will always be those people who take advantage of the situation. We are seeing an increase in fraudsters and scammers – see our advice on protecting yourself, but if you think you have been a victim you can report to Action Fraud.
Please continue to report any suspicious activity to us on 101 or online and 999 in an emergency. We urge you not to call 101 with general coronavirus enquiries, but look at the Government website for information. Please keep our 101 and 999 lines free for people with genuine policing needs."
26 March - TV Licensing Scam emails - Beware. There are emails arriving that pretend to be from TV Licensing that are fraudulent. They begin "This is an automatic notification from TV Licensing. We are sorry to let you know that the TV Licence could not be automatically renewed. Something's gone wrong with your payments" and they invite you to click on a link.
Such emails should be ignored and deleted. Do not click on any links, do not reply.
26 March - Beachwork Update - Although we can’t say for sure, it feels as though winter may be behind us and spring set to arrive. Normally at this time of year we would undertake a final round of recycling to ensure the beach is in good shape for summer. There is still work to be done in completing repairs resulting from last month’s storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge, but given the current COVID-19 situation, we will be trying to minimise work as much as possible.
Assuming there are no more storms, we will finish by Thursday 9th April at the latest. To work out what is the minimum that needs to be done, I will be doing a beach survey first thing tomorrow, and this will be used as the basis for starting recycling again on Monday 30th March.
Where possible the range that the dumpers will travel each day will be limited to short hauls rather than running longer distances. Overall though works are liable to be required in several places between Cooden and Sovereign Harbour. In order to keep drivers as isolated as possible, I expect all dumpers to travel back to the Agency depot every afternoon, as they make less noise and vibration than bulldozers and excavators, but that will mean more ruts in the beach while work is in progress. All ruts will be removed before machines leave on Thursday 9th. Hopefully that will be sufficient until autumn, but who knows?
Ian Thomas
Project Manager
Pevensey Coastal Defence Ltd
25 March - Dogs on Leads - we publish a letter from a resident concerned about coronavirus infection from dogs. Letters page...
21 March - Coronavirus COVID 19 Cases - official figures.
World-wide (source WHO etc.) - Click here...
UK (source Public Health England) - Click here...
21 March - Two Eastbournes - we publish a letter responding to an earlier one about an alternative to the rentcharge. Letters page...
19 March - Meeting with Pevensey Coastal Defence Ltd (PCDL) - SHRA recently meet with Ian Thomas of Pevensey Coastal Defence Ltd (PCDL) for a chat about the beach work that PCDL undertake. Click here for our note of the meeting... 
17 March - Community Centre Open Day Postponed until further notice due to the current coronavirus situation. At present we have no date confirmed for the rescheduled event.
15 March - Alternative to the Rentcharge - We publish a letter from a SHRA member suggesting an alternative to the annual harbour rentcharge. Comments welcome.
11 March - Improved Coastal Access - Natural England have submitted its compendium of reports to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs setting out their proposals for improved access to the coast between Eastbourne and Camber. These proposals form part of a programme to establish a continuous walking route around England's coastline, as set out in the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. Only owners, tenants or occupiers of affected land may make an objection to the Secretary of State, but anyone can make a representation to the Secretary of State about these proposals. The following documents relating to the proposal are available to view online:
● The Overview and reports with accompanying maps (Section EBC1 covers the route as it crosses Sovereign Harbour).
● The form that must be used for making a representation.
● Guidance notes to help you complete the form. Click here to view them on the GOV.UK website...
The opportunity to comment closes at midnight on Thursday, 23 April 2020. All representations and objections will be considered before the Secretary of State makes a final decision about the report. SHRA would be pleased to hear members views on the proposals info@shra.co.uk
08 March - Water Lodge Meeting - SHRA met with Premier to discuss some of our concerns about these lodges. A note of our meeting is available by clicking here...
09 Feb - Additional Seating - Many people would like additional seating around the harbour. Although there is funding for a few more seats, the Residents Association has a problem. Residents near the proposed new seats are usually opposed as they fear it will increase rowdy behaviour. There may be unsocial behaviour in the harbour, but this occurs independently of any seating. No problems have been reported with the existing seating, for example those seats in front of Midway Quay.
SHRA has been round the harbour with the local councillors and we have identified areas where additional seats should not cause problems. For example, sites which back onto garages - see map... As a minimum we would like one more seat in the inner harbour and one in the outer harbour. But the Council will still need to consult nearby residents. So, if you are asked perhaps you could think about those who are less able to walk far and support this initiative. In the unlikely event that a particular seat does become the focus of unsocial behaviour, it can be taken out.
09 Feb - Floating Apartment Arrives - A sharp-eyed SHRA member has sent us the above photo showing the arrival of the proposed houseboat we had heard about. We’ve tracked down the supplying company: www.waterlodge.co.uk. On their Facebook page www.facebook.com/waterlodge they are already advertising it…
Quote Would you like to experience a new way of living from the comfort of your own stylish and iconic home-from-home on the water? Our Waterlodge Three is coming to Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, where you could realise your dream to a backdrop of blue skies, beaches and sweeping South Downs countryside. Please get in touch to find out more and book your viewing"
SHRA is arranging a meeting with Premier during the week commencing Monday 24th Feb where we will seek clarification and assurances from them on these houseboats e.g. is the initial intention to sell or to rent them? Are others planned? Where are they to be moored? On the website, the Waterlodge Three is shown with an optional roof terrace; would that be allowed? Is this of any more concern than more boats? Please let SHRA have your initial views on this matter as soon as possible. Email: chair@shra.co.uk
06 Feb - New Committee Members - We are very grateful to the following members who have joined the SHRA committee; Tracy Hobden, Ray Johnson, Anne Marigold, Dave Rogers and Lindsay Roff. This will really help us spread the workload, make us more effective and ensure SHRA’s continuance.
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The Sovereign Harbour Residents Association gives Sovereign Harbour residents a strengthened and co-ordinated voice in discussions on the management and development of the Harbour. The work of the Association is funded by a one-off, life membership subscription.
Sovereign Harbour
Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, East Sussex, is a large, prestigious, marina-side development of houses and apartments arranged around an outer tidal harbour, four inner harbours and alongside waterways and the shingle beach.
It is also a busy, commercial marina and a working port for the Eastbourne Fishermen. There is also a RNLI lifeboat station and a popular yacht club. At The Waterfront there are restaurants, cafes and bars with regular events and entertainments; all with ample, free parking. It is a great place to live, and a great place to visit!
The Harbour was dug out from an area of vegetated shingle known as The Crumbles begining in 1991. House building commenced in 1997 and continued for ten years. In recent years a new medical centre has been built and the local junior school was enlarged. More housing is under construction, and Pacific House, the first building of an Innovation Park, was opened. In late 2017, work started on a long-awaited community centre that was in use by December 2019.
Membership is open to all households in owned or rented residential property located within the Sovereign Harbour estate, and owners of such residential property. Click here to join SHRA... Membership brings discounts from local businesses.
Our website is frequently updated with reports on the work of the Association and local news and issues. We also publish information on harbour clubs and activities, future development, local transport, local trades, and offer a page of useful links. We welcome your letters, event announcements and photos.
Our on-line (PDF) newsletter, Waterlines... is published every second month. We occasionally email all members and subscribers about important harbour news or meetings using our confidential MailChimp distribution list to which you may subscribe to below (new members are automatically added). Our list is not used for any other purposes, nor will it be shared with any third party, and you may unsubscribe at any time.
