Iconic British beach could REOPEN after being closed for two decades

A stunning beach closed to visitors for nearly 18 years is set to reopen thanks to campaigning efforts from the local MP.

Newhaven West Beach in Sussex, owned by French firm Newhaven Port and Properties, was shut to the public in 2008 on grounds of health and safety risks.

The company has maintained the eroded walls along the sandy stretch are "too dangerous" for visitors to access.

Now, a parliamentary bill has been launched to compel the owners to reopen the beach gates for residents and holidaymakers once again.

The West Beach Bill, championed by local Liberal Democrat MP James MacCleary, would establish a legal right of access to reinstate the once thriving stretch of sand.

Should the legislation pass, it would not merely force the beach to reopen, but also mandate the provision of safe pedestrian routes to access.

Mr MacCleary set the bill in motion after hearing from constituents, who have voiced concern over being barred from their own coastline.

Speaking about the significance of the campaign, he said: "West Beach is not just a strip of sand. It is part of Newhaven's history, its identity and its community life.

"For 17 years, local families including my own have been denied access to a beach where generations once swam, played and made memories. That cannot be right.

"My West Beach Bill is about fairness. It is about standing up for a community that has been shut out of its own seafront for far too long."

He acknowledged that while safety considerations and harbour operations are legitimate concerns, they cannot serve as justification for blocking access to a cherished public space.

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MacCleary urged the Government to adopt his Bill, declaring "Newhaven deserves its beach back".

Newhaven West Beach was once an iconic, bustling beauty spot, attracting visitors from far and wide.

The coastline features on a postcard dated to 1982, depicting huge crowds both littering the sandy beach, and sunbathing along the sea wall.

The push to reopen West Beach forms part of wider ambitions to restore the town's appeal as a coastal destination.

Newhaven Fort welcomed visitors again last year, following a £7.5million renovation introducing an escape room and adventure playground to the historic site.

Further developments are in the pipeline for the seafront, with plans for a splash park, children's play area, restaurant and outdoor gym.

The port town also offers ferry connections to Dieppe, with crossings taking approximately four hours.

The UK’s biggest waterpark also nearly opened in Newhaven, although these plans were scrapped in 2012.