Alongside its formal role in relation to planning applications, the Board is also responsible for monitoring the observance of all Covenants and Company Rules, how the Estate is effectively “Governed”. Standalone Covenants apply to individual properties and over time have shown to be both necessary and sensible, but at the end of the day, compliance relies heavily on the good auspice of all residents to maintain a pleasant environment for all of us to enjoy. Similarly, the “Rules” are set out to retain the tradition/character of the Estate and to enhance the environment for those who live on it. Some of the Covenants can cause amusement, for example:

• Pigs, goats, poultry, or other livestock may not be kept on the Estate.

Whilst some of our Rules are based on simple courtesy and common sense, for example:

• Dogs must always be kept on a lead around the estate and fouling by them on the roads, paths, verges, or our beach must be removed by their owners.

A combination of both asks us to play our part in ensuring that the general high standard of the Estate’s appearance and ambience is maintained, for example:

• Each householder is expected to keep the gardens belonging to their property in a neat and proper order. That includes front gardens, hedges, and driveways.
• Where the access to a property is across Company property such as pathways, residents are responsible for maintaining its condition and preventing vehicles damaging the adjacent verges.
• Properties and their boundary walls and fences must be kept in a good state of repair. Trees and hedges must not be allowed to obstruct sunlight from neighbour’s windows or gardens or obstruct Estate footpaths or verges.
• The maximum height of fences or hedges at the front of properties abutting the road, are usually specified in covenants as part of title deeds. Residents need to take account of such limits. Residents are responsible for pruning branches and growth that restrict pedestrians or vehicles using the Estate pathways, verges, and roads.

 

• Noisy work involving power tools, including driven lawn mowers, strimmers, leaf blowers, chain saws and the like should be restricted to 8.00am – 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. Please avoid such work on Saturdays (and not after 1:00 p.m.) and not on Sundays or Public Holidays.
• Houses should not be used as business premises necessitating frequent visitors, deliveries, or collections. Trade vehicles should not be kept on Estate properties.
• Properties within the Estate should not be used other than for the purpose of a private dwelling house, in one occupation only. Parts of the property or extensions to the property may not be let or sub-let. You may not run a Bed & Breakfast business from your property, nor may you rent out your property nor parts of the property or extensions to the property on a short term basis, whether this be as a Holiday Let or for any other purpose.
• No hoarding, sign, or advertisements other than an estate agent’s sale board may be displayed on any property. The temporary display of a tradesman’s sign in a discreet fashion is acceptable while work is in progress.
• Parking of mobile homes is not allowed except when loading and unloading contents. This includes the parking of caravans, large boats, and trailers, as it may/can cause a nuisance, damage, or grievance and annoyance to other residents or their respective tenants or the owners or tenants of any adjoining or neighbouring property, which may tend to depreciate or lessen the value of neighbouring properties or the general value of the properties within the Aldwick Bay Estate.
• Vehicles may not routinely be parked on estate roads or lay-bys, nor temporarily on Estate property, footpaths, sidewalks, or verges. It is expected that residents will make available on their own property enough accommodation for their own vehicles. Residents are requested to display an up-to-date Estate car sticker provided to them each year on their car windscreen. Any parking enforcement company employed by the Estate will ignore out of date windscreen stickers.
• The speed limit on all roads is a maximum of 20mph and drivers/cyclists are requested to take care when approaching pedestrians walking on the road.
• Residents and visitors are requested to use pedestrian access points rather than enter the Estate via the road and to close all pedestrian gates after use, especially those leading to our beach.
• Security coding numbers and key fobs should not be shared.
• Washing must be hung up out of view from the road.
• No bonfires or fireworks should be lit due to the risk of fire especially for thatch roofed properties.
• The feeding of seagulls, foxes and pigeons is discouraged as it unbalances the natural Ecostructure.

Others relate to the relative responsibilities of both residents and Company, as referred to earlier in this document, for example:

• Prior written approval of the Company must be obtained before undertaking erection or extension of any building on the estate or changing points of access. Lack of proof of all appropriate approvals can seriously hinder subsequent sale of the property.
• No temporary buildings other than sheds or workshops to be built during the erection of a permanent dwelling.
• Prior permission from the Company must be sought before storing materials on paths, verges, or roads.
• Any damage to the Company’s roads or verges caused by residents, or contractors employed by them, must be made good, or the cost of so doing paid to the Company, by the resident concerned.
• No discharge of effluent, contaminated surface water or building materials should be put down drains.
• In order to reduce wear and damage to the road infrastructure and drainage, vehicles entering the Estate should not exceed 26 tonnes.

Much of the Estate is covered by a Conservation Area and Tree Preservation Order and therefore no trees may be felled on the estate without the prior approval of the Company in addition to which, planning approval from the Arun District Council will generally also be required. The Estate private beach area is designated by Natural England as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the following are expressly prohibited: –

• Dumping or discharge of any materials.
• Bonfires or fireworks.
• Holding BBQs on the Boardwalk.
• Padlocking cycles to the various seating and benches.
• Removal of any plant, tree or shrub, or removal of shingle, sand, gravel, or soil
• Use of vehicles likely to damage the beach
• Killing of any animal, reptile, bird, or fish

These Rules and Covenants help us all to maintain the ethos of the Aldwick Bay Estate, and as such, we ask everyone who lives or visits here, to abide by them and to be considerate of each other for the benefit of everyone.

• October 2023