You can even purchase the land, while promising to maintain a public right of access, and then close the right of access indefinitely "for safety", etc

The public is reaping what it has sowed. This is only possible because for decades a huge chunk of the public has treated the pursuit of safety or "the children" or any other "you're evil if you criticize anyone who purports to stand for this" type of subject as something that is more important than all other interests.