Torbay Council has signed off on a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Berry Head and Hope’s Nose, which will come into force today, Tuesday 6th May 2023.
The announcement will come as a great relief to many, including Anthony Mangnall MP (Totnes) after locals and tourists alike have witnessed appalling scenes in recent years.
The PSPO is being put in place to prevent the intensive fishing and unacceptable levels of antisocial behaviour that have been seen in both areas. As well as catching huge quantities of fish, gangs from outside the area have been seen to litter, damage the environment and intimidate local residents who challenge them.
As the Member of Parliament for Brixham, which includes Berry Head Nature Reserve, Mr Mangnall hosted a meeting with key stakeholders last autumn where the idea of a PSPO was first raised. Torbay Council launched a consultation on the proposal earlier this year, with an overwhelming majority of respondents voicing their support. Mr Mangnall and local Councillors are pleased that the new leader of Torbay Councillor, David Thomas, has taken swift action to put the PSPO in place.
The PSPO will include restrictions on the amount of mackerel that can be caught in certain areas, a ban on tents, barbeques, fires and littering, and a requirement for individuals to leave the area if asked to do so by Authorised Officers.
Tender has already been put out for enforcement and all those involved are pleased that the PSPO will come into force so quickly.
Anthony Mangnall, Member of Parliament for Totnes, said:
The Public Spaces Protection Order for Berry Head and Hope’s Nose will make a huge difference in helping to protect these historic and beautiful sites.
Having worked with the new Conservative leadership of Torbay Authority, our Brixham councillors and residents of the area, I am pleased to see the protection measures and enforcement mechanisms put in place so promptly.
We will continue to work together to ensure that these areas can be protected for future generations.
Cllr David Matthews, Leader of Torbay Council, said:
We were very surprised that the previous PSPO for Hope’s Nose had been left to lapse. Upon taking control of the Council, we were keen to get a solution in place to resolve these anti-social behaviour issues. It is important that enforcement runs alongside the legislation and although that has taken a little longer to achieve, I am delighted we are now in a position to take positive action.
Torbay Councillors representing Brixham offered a joint statement:
Since the local elections, we have worked hard to push for the introduction of a long-awaited PSPO with its back up enforcement to be put in place. As a collective, we know how much of an issue the fishing at Berry Head and Hope’s Nose is and we hope this will go a long way to resolving the issue.