The Chichester and Langstone Harbours together with Portsmouth Harbour, Solent and Southampton Water have been internationally recognised as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and have significant legal protection as a result. Research has shown that population increases through new housebuilding will impact on the bird populations of the SPAs. As a result, mitigation measures are needed in order to continue granting planning permission for residential development in Havant Borough.
The Solent Local Authorities formed the Solent Recreation Mitigation Partnership (SRMP) in order to develop a strategy which would help protect the SPAs while continuing to permit residential development.
The Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy (SRMS) uses a sliding scale to calculate the SRMS contribution for new residential development built within 5.6km of the coastline. Most areas of the borough fall within this radius. This can be checked using our Where I Live webpage, choose the map category ‘Local Plan’ and tick ‘HBC Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy 5600m Buffer’.
The contribution is calculated on the number of bedrooms per individual dwelling. Further information can be found in Havant’s Developer Contributions Guide, available on the Community infrastructure levy (CIL) webpage. Non-residential development with overnight accommodation will be assessed on a case by case basis.
Contributions will be secured via a legal agreement, which must be entered into before planning permission can be granted. Find out more on our Unilateral Undertaking - Solent Recreation Mitigation Strategy webpage.
A great deal of survey work has been undertaken to understand how individual sites are used by Solent waders and Brent Geese (SWBG). There are many sites in Havant Borough which support Solent waders and/or Brent Geese at high tide.
Development proposals on, or adjacent to, SWBG sites will require a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) to determine the level of impact alone and in combination with other plans and projects. Information to enable the Council to undertake the HRA will need to be provided as part of a planning application and include suitable avoidance and mitigation measures.
The Solent Waders and Brent Goose (SWBG) Strategy identifies the network of sites around the Solent and determines which sites are the most valuable and why. Interactive mapping of the strategy sites is available directly via the Strategy page. The classification of the site in this strategy determines how a development proposal will be treated, and what avoidance or mitigation measures are required. Mitigation Guidance, also available on the SWBG Strategy page linked above, explains how each category of site will be treated in relation to development proposals. The Council will expect mitigation in line with the Strategy and the Guidance.