St Osyth: Campaigners fight for the Bury (From Clacton and Frinton Gazette)

St Osyth: Campaigners fight for the Bury

1:07pm Friday 4th July 2008

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A protest group is aiming to launch a legal fight surrounding a historic landmark in their village.

St Osyth Heritage Action Group is currently garnering financial support to hire a barrister, so members of the public can regain access to the Bury.

The strip of land has been fenced off since last year by its owners, the Sergeant family, who also own the grade one-listed priory behind it.

This move has incensed some locals, who say that public access to the Bury was granted by Henry II in the 1100s and should remain in place today.

Now, the action group has been set up to fight the matter legally.

Chairman, Steve Dalton, said: "A matter of this importance to our village and its future cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.

"Having spent many months gathering evidence, we are now in a position to instruct one of the top barristers in the country."

Mr Dalton, 47, says that the group's advisor will look into the legalities of the Bury as a village green and the question of ownership, amongst other issues.

While group members will pay half the costs, they are looking for an extra £4,000 to cover the rest.

"We would request any assistance to be made in the form of a monetary pledge," said the father-of-eight, who lives in Spring Road.

"All funds raised will be strictly in accordance with the necessary legal procedures."

However, co-owner of the Priory and the Bury, Tim Sergeant, said that members of the St Osyth Heritage Action Group were misguided.

"Tendring Council and the Government office for the eastern region have both accepted our position as being lawful," he said.

"I wish them well in their pursuit, but I fear that they are wasting their time and sadly the money of anybody daft enough to be so easily parted with their hard-earned cash."

He added: "If he wished to speak to me, I could with legal documents explain why Mr Dalton is wasting his time.

"However, I would only do so on the basis that he would then put his allocated funds towards some charitable heritage project in the village or the district.

"In fact, depending on what project he decided to support, I would offer to match his contribution.

"I would rather spend money saving England's heritage than see lawyers getting richer."

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