Dungeness Estate, the windswept stretch of shingle coastline where the film-maker Derek Jarman spent his final years, has been bought by EDF Energy, the French company that owns a nearby nuclear power station.
The sparsely populated, barren headland on the south Kent coast, home to disused railway coaches and sometimes inaccurately described as “Britain’s only desert”, has been snapped up by EDF for an undisclosed amount after being put up for sale in the summer for £1.5m.
Maurice Ede, trustee for the estate, said on Tuesday: “After the decision was made to sell the estate, it was important the purchaser would have the ability, track record and correct intentions of maintaining an estate such as this. We are very happy to be passing that responsibility to EDF Energy.”
The energy company, which owns Dungeness B nuclear power station adjacent to the estate, said in a statement that it was the biggest employer in the area, boosting the local economy by more than £40m each year.
Martin Pearson, station director at Dungeness B, said: “We’re delighted to be the purchasers of the estate and want to reassure the community that it is our intention to be a responsible owner of the land.
“Dungeness B has been a huge part of the community for over 30 years; many of our employees live in the area and we bring business to local suppliers,” Pearson added. “We’ve always worked alongside the local community to preserve and enhance this unique environment and EDF Energy is committed to this.”
The announcement of the sale of the estate, part of a family trust since 1964 and a registered national nature reserve, took residents by surprise. At the beginning of proceedings, inhabitants of the 99 homes on the estate were worried by the lack of consultation.
Paul Schwartfeger, chair of the Dungeness residents’ association,
told the Guardian:
“EDF is a close neighbour with whom we have shared Dungeness for many years. As of yet we do not know how the relationship between EDF and residents will be managed. However, I am optimistic about the future of this relationship and the estate, given that EDF has already begun engaging with residents about the sale and has working knowledge of the land and the relevant conservation designations that apply to this remarkable part of Kent.”
The estate had generated an annual income of more than £130,000 from ground rents of long-term residential leasehold properties, commercial fishing agreements and licences allowing the movement of shingle to protect the power station and nearby coasts.
The barren area has become one of the country’s most recognisable landmarks and an unlikely tourist destination, attracting around a million visitors each year.
The deal does not, however, include the power station, pub, lighthouses and narrow-gauge railway.
The 468-acre estate is formed largely of a shingle beach that shields the low-lying land of Romney Marsh. The area has been designated as a site of special scientific interest due to its shingle ridges.
Dungeness also featured on the cover of Pink Floyd’s 1981 album A Collection of Great Dance Songs.
It has also appeared in music videos for Lighthouse Family, the Thrills, the Prodigy, Athlete, Aled Jones and Turin Brakes, and in the 1981 film Time Bandits.
Will Whittaker of Strutt & Parker, the estate agents, said: “Despite the great interest generated from around the world, the trustees and Strutt & Parker are delighted to have agreed a sale to a neighbour who is already familiar with and committed to the area.”
- This article was amended on Tuesday 3 November 2015 to remove an incorrect reference to Roger Waters’s departure from Pink Floyd.
