A BEACH hut owner’s bid to save her seaside retreat by relocating it from an eroding section of shingle is set to be refused by the council.

Katherine Rowland’s proposal to move her Hordle Cliff hut at Milford-on-Sea to a privately-owned area of the beach follows New Forest District Council’s decision to condemn a row of 20 beach huts in February due to health and safety fears.

The huts are being removed after storms created a 12ft steep bank to form in front of them, and the council said they will not be replaced.

However Miss Rowland’s plan to move her treasured hut has been recommended for refusal when it comes before the planning committee on Wednesday as the intended site is on green belt land. There are already around 20 beach huts on the cliff in this area, however Miss Rowland has proposed to install her hut in an alcove on the beach.

In a letter accompanying her application, she said: “The proposed hut location site would not have any impact on the SSSI or nature conservation. This is because it would be sited on the beach 0.8 metres away from the cliff face at the back.”

However, planning officer Kate Cattermole said moving the beach hut would be “inappropriate within the green belt” and “harmful”.

“Furthermore it would be detrimental to the open character within the context of the less developed western end of the beach,” she said in her report to committee members.

“By siting the hut directly on the shingle beach on sleepers, it would not interfere with the cliff face, and therefore would not be visually intrusive on the SSSI. However, the group of huts at the western end of the beach form a cohesive group and are characterised by being in an elevated position.

“Even though it is a modest sized hut, by reason of its siting directly on the beach, it would be conspicuous in its location and positioned forward of its immediate neighbours.”

She added huts on the council-owned section of the beach were a “reasonable distance away so would not provide immediate context to the siting of this hut”.

“As such the proposed beach hut would appear incongruous in its setting , to the detriment of the character of this part of the beach,” she said.

Councillors will make the final decision on the plans.