A landowner’s plan to ‘rectify and beautify’ Red Spot Beach in George Town – the site of a fish market for more than 50 years – has sparked talk of protest action.
Chris Johnson wants to turn the small sandy bay on North Church Street into what he describes as a beautified “park-like site” for residents and cruise ship tourists.
Johnson has applied the Central Planning Authority for permission to build stairs and a ramp to allow for easier public access on his parcel, which surrounds the public beach.
He also plans to include “small but effective site-works”, such as adding benches and planters, and removing an illegally poured slab of concrete.
If approved, the works are likely to lead to workers at the fish market having to move from the site – a situation they have been battling against for several years.
Natural beauty
In a letter to the authority in the planning application, a representative for Johnson described the site as “beloved”, and said it is enjoyed by both residents and visitors.
The site is “highly visible to everyone who passes through town, given its central location, natural beauty and the fact that it’s one of the only waterfront properties not developed in town”, it added.
The letter said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the beach has been increasingly used by cruise visitors for sunbathing and swimming.
And given the recent high use of Red Spot Beach, the landowner has decided to “rectify and beautify” the site and allow it to be a better used and enjoyed public space.
‘Gone to fight’
In response to the plan, community activist Billy Adam circulated a message proposing that workers at the fish market engage in protest action.
The message titled ‘Action suggestions’, which the Compass received via WhatsApp on Monday, 20 Nov., called for several different methods of protest.
It asked ‘all fishermen, supporters and families’ to erect signs or posters at Red Spot Beach objecting to any changes or construction on the beach or ironshore.
The message also told them to close the fish market on Wednesday, when the application will be discussed, and erect a sign saying ‘Gone to fight defending my rights’.
It suggested they should all go to the Government Administration Building that day at 9am to attend the 10am meeting and, if the room is too small, demand a larger location.
Another suggestion in the message was to go on talk shows to voice objections to the proposed changes.
It concluded by saying that the Public Lands Commission, National Conservation Council and attorney general are not involved when they should be.
Fish market
There has been friction between Johnson and the fish market workers for several years.
In the past, the landowner has said he did not give them permission to work there, but they insist that it has been the home of the market for close to 50 years.
In May 2020, the government relocated the fish market workers to the Port Authority’s South Terminal, amid COVID-19 social-distancing rules.
But they later returned to the original site and said they had no intention of moving again.
In November 2020, Johnson filed a writ of summons with the Grand Court to bar anyone from illegally using his property for business.
He claimed that the fish sellers had caused him to suffer loss and damage.
Johnson’s call for eviction met with strong resistance.
One of the respondents, Lindo McGown, said he had been selling fish there for 47 years and had thought the land was owned by the government.
In December 2020, a private member’s motion, entitled ‘Protection of the Marine Environment and Shoreline’, was moved by then Opposition Leader Arden McLean.
It called for the government to forcibly purchase the parcel of land from Johnson – but 11 members voted against it.
In response to the motion, Johnson said, “I will certainly appeal any seizure of the land and take the matter all the way to the Privy Council. This makes no sense to anyone.”
In May 2021, the Central Planning Authority adjourned an application from Johnson to remove the slab of concrete at the site.
One member said the concrete was poured at different times over several years, which meant it fell outside of the board’s powers to grant an after-the-fact approval.
Rectify damage
In the recent planning application, Johnson’s representative said he had five specific intents with the $60,000 proposal.
Firstly, to provide a wheelchair ramp and stairs to create full access to the beach.
“Access to beach has fast become on ongoing problem on island for residents and visitors,” they wrote.
Secondly, to provide a better place to swim.
Johnson’s representative said Red Spot Beach is one of the last places to swim in town.
“In years gone by, it was a popular beach for locals to learn to swim, long before the fish market evolved,” the letter said, adding that it was also used to store boats.
Thirdly, the landowner plans to clean up the site and rectify damage done in the past, such as by carefully removing a slab of concrete to return the beach to its natural state.
“Heavy, unregulated use of the site by the fishermen has caused damage over the years, including concrete poured onsite without landowner or planning permission,” they wrote.
The letter suggests that the fishermen who currently use the site will be provided for instead at a new government site north of the Lobster Pot restaurant.
The Compass has reached out to the government for details on the relocation of the fish market and is awaiting a response.
Enjoy the view
The fourth intent of the proposal is to provide a better experience for cruise ship visitors to the site, the landowner’s representative said.
“This application intends to provide a park-like site where visitors can swim, use the beach and enjoy the waterfront,” the letter explained.
And, the last point was to provide a site that local residents can enjoy.
In response to the application, the National Roads Authority suggested adding railings for pedestrians, and the Department of Environment suggested best management practices.
The Department of Planning has advised that during discussions, consideration should be given to the potential impact on the fish market located at the beachfront site.
There were no public objections to the application included in the originally published agenda.
The Central Planning Authority first discussed the application on 23 Aug., but adjourned the matter to invite the landowner to appear before the authority in person.
Members will reassess the proposal during the CPA’s next meeting on Wednesday, 22 Nov., according to its agenda published online.
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The fish sellers would do better business if located somewhere where customers could park. We have often thought about buying fresh fish there but gave up when we couldn’t find anywhere to park.