The National Trust has been banned from moving eight of its beach huts near a nudist beach – because nature lovers say it could harm a colony of lizards.
Sand lizards, which are an endangered species, bask in the sun close to Studland beach in Dorset, where naturists enjoy nude strolls and sunbathing.
The Trust wanted to relocate the holidaymakers’ huts at Middle Beach because they’re worried about the risk of coastal erosion.
But Natural England protested, saying the upheaval would damage the local habitat, affecting the sand lizards.
They also said re-locating the huts would lead to tourists wandering over a wider area, causing further harm to the beach-side dunes and heath land and risking extra erosion.
The Trust was given planning consent for a similar move of 31 huts in 2017 and 32 in 2001, but Dorset Council has denied consent for the latest plan.
The Trust had said in a report ‘Due to the sensitive nature of the site, a number of surveys have been commissioned along with a more recent ecological appraisal.
‘Careful consideration has been given to selecting an appropriate new site for the beach huts.
‘There will be minimal site preparation which will involve laying railway sleepers to create a level platform on which the beach huts will sit.
‘The huts will be moved individually, and the old sites will then be cleared of any debris and left to nature and the rising tide.’
Studland Parish Council raised no objections to the move although Natural England warned that the changes would have an additional impact on the special nature of the area : ‘There appear to be alternative locations within the applicants control which could be acceptable to Natural England and which are outside of the designated sites although they are not considered appropriate by the applicant,’ said the Natural England report.
It said the proposals ‘would result in direct damage to an area of designated habitat.
The relocation of huts and consequent impacts on features such as sand lizards both through disturbance etc as well as shading of vegetation surrounding the huts are not consistent with the conservation objectives for the designated area.’