By Mark Brophy

First, let’s go back in time…

It’s 2019 and The Fountain Inn at Seabrook is packed. There is standing room only but the people haven’t come to see live music or football. They have come to witness one of the most important district council meetings for years… to decide whether planning permission should be granted for Princes Parade. The atmosphere is tense, the people watching the big screen are almost silent, listening intently to the debate which, in classic council style, was streamed with poor sound quality. At the council itself, the gallery is full – primarily with those that wish to see planning permission denied and the whole idea of building 150 homes scrapped once and for all.

But it is not to be – and in reality the decision is foregone – the pro-development councillors outnumber the rest and despite valiant calls for a rethink, permission is granted. A collective outrage spills out across the district, leaving an entire community in hope that the Save Prince’s Parade campaign would succeed in righting this terrible wrong… read more