Proposals aimed at reducing disturbance to wildlife at a seafront beauty spot have been described as “sacrilege” by furious residents.

Bird Wise East Kent developed the plans at Long Rock in Swalecliffe, Whitstable, due to concerns wintering birds do not have adequate space to gain enough energy for migration.

The group says dogs allowed to walk off the lead are having the biggest impact as the birds think they are predators.

Under the proposals, there will be one path running through the site, with an unofficial path near the seafront and another running along the south-east of the beauty spot being shut.

But residents have raised concerns the work will ruin the site, and question the impact on the taxpayer.

Tankerton resident Gavin Serkin, who regularly uses the spot, says the proposals will mean visitors are channelled through one path and he will no longer be able to let his dog off the lead.

“My biggest objection is they are looking to make it into a municipal-feeling park when it’s a wild area for anyone to walk,” the 51-year-old said.

“We all want to protect the birds but there are other ways to do that without churning up the landscape and putting in concrete paths, fences and walls.

“We can do this very well by having well-written signposts that are inclusive that tell people, for example, during the summer months there will be birds migrating and dogs should be kept on leads.

“But to penalise residents and dog-walkers all year round is sacrilege and it is denying local people access to the most important beauty spot between Seasalter and Herne Bay.”

He believes the proposals punish responsible users of the site, who keep their dogs under control.

“I am a bird-lover and I enjoy the wildlife probably more than other people as I spend a lot of time there and get my binoculars out to watch the birds,” he said.

“I also enjoy letting my greyhounds have a run and I’m a responsible dog owner. I don’t let my dog have a run if I know there are migrating birds.”

Bird Wise East Kent is a partnership of local authorities and conservation organisations which works to mitigate disturbance to birds that winter in the east of the county.

Long Rock is a Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI), Ramsar site and Special Protected Area (SPA).

It is of significant international importance for the wildlife that is present there, particularly wintering roosting and feeding birds and summer nesting birds.

Both of these bird populations have suffered a significant decline at Long Rock over the past 30 years.

Meanwhile, nearby Kite Farm resident Nick Easton supported plans to fence off some parts of the site, but branded the rest of the proposals “a load of nonsense and a waste of money”.

“At the moment, it is a lovely space. You can walk around the edge of the coastline, through it on the path and along the bank,” the 64-year-old said.

“It will channel people into one path which runs east to west and nobody will be allowed to go anywhere.

“It is an imposition on people’s freedom and it will look a mess.

“It is a wide open space and free for people to walk along as long as they behave themselves.”

'To penalise residents and dog-walkers all year round is sacrilege...'

The proposals include re-routing the paths closest to the shingle beach to “maximise the habitat availability” for birds and reduce how close people and dogs can get to sensitive wildlife.

Fencing off the re-routed paths and resurfacing and fencing the central path are also among the plans.

Bird Wise East Kent also wants to create a wet barrier - in the form of a ditch - to prevent bird disturbance and create a habitat for water voles.

Intstalling a bird screen and a hard-surfaced platform to view wildlife is also proposed.

Due to the complexities of the proposed works, any changes that are agreed are likely to be delivered over a few years.

A Canterbury City Council spokesman says feedback from a recent consultation is currently being analysed and it will be taking a report to a future cabinet meeting with recommendations for the way forward.

“The proposals at Long Rock, which Birdwise East Kent put forward and we consulted on as the landowner, aimed to reach the right balance between protecting wildlife at this nationally important site of special scientific interest, and recognising its popularity among residents and visitors,” he said.

“The consultation resulted in a big response and lots of different opinions. As ever, there are people in favour and people against and it’s never going to be an issue where we will please everybody.”