Why did it become personal?': furore over plans to expand Kent oyster shack - AOL

A dispute in Whitstable has escalated over plans to expand the Forge oyster shack, part of the Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company (WOFC). James Green, 58, says the project has become personal, arguing it reflects a wider national problem even as the family business traces its roots to 1793. The WOFC harvests about 2 million oysters annually, with half sold via its hotel and four restaurants. Green’s June application would extend seating onto a beach area used by members of the Whitstable Yacht Club and add a pergola. More than 200 objections have been submitted, including concerns from the Environment Agency about flood defenses. Critics have called the proposal a visual and commercial intrusion along the King Charles III coastal path.