Bird Aware Solent to enhance mitigation strategy for house building
26 February 2025
Bird Aware Solent is updating and enhancing its Strategy following a comprehensive, robust and positive review of its work to date.
Bird Aware is also extending the scope of its work to include protected breeding birds who are on parts of our coast during the summer months. This is in response to the findings of a review of the likelihood of increased recreation from new housing impacting breeding birds. This review indicated likely significant effects for these species without mitigation being secured. The Revised Strategy will provide mitigation that allows house building to continue in the Solent area.
Following a detailed financial review of the updated strategy, there will be no increase in developer contributions towards mitigation costs and annual inflationary increases will continue as usual. It remains an opt-in Strategy and developers are still able to provide their mitigation requirements through a bespoke scheme if they choose.
Councillor Keith House, Chair of the Partnership for South Hampshire, the body that oversees Bird Aware Solent, said: “The revised Strategy’s delivery plan for the next five years will ensure funding is used in the most effective way, maximising the positive changes to people’s behaviour as they enjoy our beautiful coastline, and ensuring our wealth of wildlife thrives for generations to come”.
Updates to the Strategy include: an enhanced dog walkers’ engagement programme; an enhanced monitoring programme and an extension of scope to include breeding birds. The duration of the Strategy has been extended until 2050 with the in-perpetuity element provided until 2130. Full details of the revised Strategy are available on the Bird Aware Solent website.
Around 147,500 new homes are anticipated around the Solent up to 2050. This is likely to lead to more people visiting the coast for recreation and this has the potential to cause more bird disturbance. The Revised Strategy aims to mitigate likely impact of bird disturbance as a result of these additional homes and the resulting increase in recreational visits. It focuses on educating people about the birds and encouraging positive behaviour change.
The Updated Strategy has been endorsed by the Partnership for South Hampshire’s Joint Committee and is currently progressing through the approval process of all the Local Planning Authorities in the Solent. Subject to final approval, it comes into effect for any planning permissions granted from 1 April 2025.
