THE debate over the protection of the Purton Hulks remains unresolved despite attempts made to settle it by all those involved.

Maritime heritage campaigner Paul Barnett said a public meeting held to discuss the future of the Purton Hulks recently was a ‘farce’.

He said it was a missed opportunity for all the relevant bodies to discuss the hulks, which are shipwrecked vessels along the River Severn at Purton, near Sharpness.

However the MP Neil Carmichael, who chaired the meeting, said it was all a "balancing act" and that positive progress had been made.

The public meeting brought together the MP, landowners British Waterways, Natural England, Hinton Parish Council, the Friends of Purton and local residents.

Several of the vessels have been given protection and the site is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), however Mr Barnett, chairman of the Friends of Purton, would like the whole site to be protected as a piece of maritime heritage for people to enjoy in years to come.

"I am horrified, yet again no one cares that we are squandering our heritage," he said. "We don’t want this place turned into a tourist attraction, quite the opposite we want it to be protected so that future generations can visit and look at the hulks."

Mr Carmichael said that the protection and accessibility of the hulks had to be balanced with the wishes of local residents, who are concerned about the volume of people visiting the site and the lack of facilities such as toilets and parking.

"We made some ground in getting British Waterways and the local parish council talking to each other about the management of the site and public conveniences," said Mr Carmichael.

"I want to see the hulks protected but people’s right to visit and look at the vessels has to be balanced with local residents’ rights."

British Waterways will be publishing a management strategy, which Mr Carmichael said he hoped would address the issues.