PATRICIA BROOKS

the council already owned it. However it lies on the best quality agricultural land which Natural England say should not be taken out of food production, especially post-Brexit.

Swathes of such land are already built over or due to be lost to development included in the Local Plan to 2037. We are also not satisfied with the mathematical formula that concludes that nitrate levels on Warblington Farm are high. This is based on averages for Solent-area farms. We believe that nitrate use on the farm has been low and that evidence is needed from soil testing.

There are other farms which, if rewilded, would have contributed more to reducing nitrogen levels in our harbours. More work is needed to find different types of solutions with Southern Water, like increasing treatment capacity at Budds Farm sewage works.

Havant see this as a ‘win-win’ because they also think that Warblington Farm can provide an alternative winter foraging site for Brent Geese and

Waders that currently feed on sites due for development. However Warblington Farm is already heavily used by birds that come from Chichester Harbour. We doubt that birds in the habit of using the other sites, who come from Langstone Harbour, will relocate.

This risks a decline in bird numbers, especially for species like curlew.

We recognise that more homes are needed in the borough, especially ‘affordable’ homes for young people and their families. But this must be done in a way that protects habitats and biodiversity for future generations, and contributes to combating climate change.

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