Saturday, June 09, 2007

Public meeting over Roswell Pits marina

Plans to turn Roswell Pits into a marina will be discussed at a public meeting on Tuesday.

The famed predator water on the outskirts of Ely, Cambs, has been bought by businessman Jeremy Tyrrell, who wants to re-open disused moorings to create a haven for narrowboats.

But anglers and conservationists are fearful of the impact the plan could have on the lakes, which are connected to the Great Ouse at Foremill Wash.

Now a group called Local Campaigners for the Protection of Rural Ely (LCPRE) is holding a public meeting to discuss the future of the venue.

Mr Tyrrell is already in a stand-off with Ely Sailing Club over access to Roswell, which is also boat fished by pike and zander anglers.

Dr Andrew Balmford, a member of LCPRE, told the Cambridge Evening News: "We have not had a public debate on the future of the site, so we are creating a forum to begin initiating that."

Campaigners are meeting at the City of Ely Community College at 8pm. For further details, call Dr Sarah Hall on 07791 512296.

***How the controversy unfolded - click here. For coverage in local paper the Ely Standard click here.