SPS Website refresh

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The SPS website has been overdue for an update and this month we’re launching a new, simplified look, bringing the development back in house.  We have taken the decision to reduce our website management costs while at the same time we hope to make the site more responsive to topics of interest to our members.

Here are a few of the features of the new site.

Context sensitive Sidebar menus which appear on the right hand side of the page if you’re looking on a larger screen, or immediately below the page text if you’re using a mobile device.  In fact, it’s worth noting that this new incarnation of the site should react ‘responsively’ to the type of device you’re using.

The Recent Posts sidebar menu displays up to eight recent items, doubling the number previously visible.

At the foot of the home page, a Category Cloud menu gives an indication of the categories of content contained on the site.  Take a look, and select an item to see the relevant content.

On the right hand side of the page footer, a Tag list menu shows a list of ‘tags’ with which certain items of content are indexed.  Select a tag to view relevant content.

Solent Live – All the links to live information relating to harbour movements, shipping, weather and tides can be found at the ‘Solent Live’ option under the ‘The Solent’ menu.

News and Comment – Under ‘Solent Wide News’ you’ll find summaries of items of news from around the region.  For a more focused selection, take one of the options under ‘Regional news’.

Our focus areas – Also under ‘News and Comment’, you’ll find a subset of areas which are of particular interest to SPS. Here you will find, for example, specific notes and documents relating to ‘Planning’ matters, Conservation and ‘Marine licenses’.

Marine Licencing Applications – June 25th 2019

~ SPS Admin

The June 25th SPS summary of Marine Licensing activity applicable to the Solent area can be found by taking this link.

The update post displays a list of applications published by the Marine Management Organisation since the last SPS summary update issued, and project background for those applications open for public consultation.

Applications for burial of human remains at sea are not included.

If an application is of particular interest to you, take a note of the application number and enter it into the MMO Public Register to view the detail on the register.  For guidance on how to access and search the MMO Public Register, please follow this link.

Marine Licencing Applications – May 29th 2019

~ SPS Admin

The May 29th SPS summary of Marine Licensing activity applicable to the Solent area can be found by taking this link.

The update post displays a list of applications published by the Marine Management Organisation since the last SPS summary update issued, and project background for those applications open for public consultation.

Applications for burial of human remains at sea are not included.

If an application is of particular interest to you, take a note of the application number and enter it into the MMO Public Register to view the detail on the register.  For guidance on how to access and search the MMO Public Register, please follow this link.

Marine Licensing Applications – 1st May 2019

~ SPS Admin

The May 1st SPS summary of Marine Licensing activity applicable to the Solent area can be found by taking this link.

The update post displays a list of applications published by the Marine Management Organisation since the last SPS summary update issued, and project background for those applications open for public consultation.

Applications for burial of human remains at sea are not included.

If an application is of particular interest to you, take a note of the application number and enter it into the MMO Public Register to view the detail on the register.  For guidance on how to access and search the MMO Public Register, please follow this link.

Marine Licensing Applications – 28th March 2019

~ SPS Admin

The March 28th SPS summary of Marine Licensing activity applicable to the Solent area can be found by taking this link.

The update post displays a list of applications published by the Marine Management Organisation since the last SPS summary update issued, and project background for those applications open for public consultation.

Applications for burial of human remains at sea are not included.

If an application is of particular interest to you, take a note of the application number and enter it into the MMO Public Register to view the detail on the register.  For guidance on how to access and search the MMO Public Register, please follow this link.

AQUIND Interconnector development proposals – public consultation

~ SPS Admin

AQUIND Interconnector is a new subsea and underground High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) electric power transmission link between the South Coast of England and Normandy in France. This proposal sees a new interconnector cable coming ashore at Eastney and being routed via underground trenches through the road system of Portsmouth to a new Converter Station at Lovedean. For further details, please refer to the AQUIND Consultation website.

Following an initial round of consultation in January 2018, AQUIND is now undertaking statutory consultation on its proposals for AQUIND Interconnector between Wednesday 27 February 2019 and Monday 29 April 2019.

The purpose of this consultation is to seek informed feedback on the proposal which may be taken into account as it is further developed prior to the submission of an application for a Development Consent Order that would seek the permissions and powers required to build and operate AQUIND Interconnector in the UK.

The detailed consultation material can be viewed by taking this link. This is a large document (132 pages) which will open in a new browser tab.

Marine Licensing Applications – 27th February 2019

~ SPS Admin

The February 27th SPS summary of Marine Licensing activity applicable to the Solent area can be found by taking this link.

The update post displays a list of applications published by the Marine Management Organisation since the last SPS summary update issued, and project background for those applications open for public consultation.

Applications for burial of human remains at sea are not included.

If an application is of particular interest to you, take a note of the application number and enter it into the MMO Public Register to view the detail on the register.  For guidance on how to access and search the MMO Public Register, please follow this link.

Fawley Waterside and Calshot development plans

~ SPS Admin

A major development is being planned on the site of the Fawley Power Station by a new company, Fawley Waterside Ltd. The company has ambitious plans to create a new small model town, with echoes of Poundbury, the prettiest New Forest Villages, and Old Lymington, with about 1500 homes. There will be a marina accessible from the Solent 24/7. They also plan to build an Hotel, a Yacht Club, shops and restaurants and marine industries, with the objective of creating more than 2000 jobs in the new community.

Proposed site plan for Fawley Waterside and Calshot Village

Work has already started on demolition of the old power station structures and the iconic chimney, which can be seen from most of the Solent, is to be removed. In its place, Fawley Waterside propose to construct a glass tower 100m high, subject to grant of approval for an outline planning application yet to be submitted. We will bring you details of this application when available.

Artist impression of the ‘canal side’ development and glass tower

The same development company are also planning to build 30 new homes in nearby Calshot village. Both projects are described in brochures published by Fawley Waterside Ltd., all of which can be accessed and downloaded by selecting this link. The link will take you to an index page for all documents published by the developer. Their recently published Calshot Village Exhibition brochure provides a high level summary of both projects.

Solent Protection Society is keeping a very close eye on these projects: we aim to influence the plans to help to achieve a development of which the Solent community can be proud and which enhances our environment.

Solent Protection Society’s 60th Annual General Meeting

~ SPS Admin

Held at the Holiday Inn, Southampton on 11 December 2018. The following is a brief summary of the proceedings at the meeting.

The Chairman, David Sizer, welcomed members and reported that the President, Lord Montagu, who apologised for his absence, had stressed that he was keen to find ways of increasing awareness of the Society, especially among mooring holders and visitors to the Beaulieu river.

The Treasurer, Poh Chye Lim, presented his report and receipts and payments account for the year ended 30 June 2018. The excess of payments over receipts for the year of £3387 did not take account of refunds of tax after the year end. Additional costs were incurred including those in respect of a new computer, software and the website. A further grant was made to Peter Barfield in support of his research project. Total assets of the Society were just over £120000 at the year end.

Lord Montagu, Nicholas de Rothschild and Peter Nicholson were re-elected as President and Vice-Presidents respectively.

Council members, Sarah Fremantle, Bill Pimlott, Poh Chye Lim and Peter Henderson were re-elected and Bobby Payne (former Secretary of the Society) was elected to the Council.

The Chairman’s report had been circulated to members with the other AGM papers:

  • The Society has had had a happy and successful year with a change of emphasis to its activities in that more time had been spent on consulting with quasi government and other similar organisations. Council members were thanked for their time spent on these matters.
  • There had been a fall in membership but a number of efforts were being made to endeavour to halt this trend.
  • As regards developments, focus was on Southampton Water West with Fawley Power Station and ABP’s proposals for Marchwood and Dibden of particular interest to the Society together with New Forest District Council proposals for new houses in the National Park.

There was no other business, the Chairman thanked members for their attendance and the meeting was closed.

Marine Licensing Applications – January 31st 2019

~ Bob C

The January 31st SPS summary of Marine Licensing activity applicable to the Solent area can be found by taking this link.

The update post displays a list of applications published by the Marine Management Organisation since the last SPS summary update issued, and project background for those applications open for public consultation.

Applications for burial of human remains at sea are not included.

If an application is of particular interest to you, take a note of the application number and enter it into the MMO Public Register to view the detail on the register.  For guidance on how to access and search the MMO Public Register, please follow this link.

Coastal Squeeze and Rollback

~ SPS Admin

It is generally accepted that sea-levels are rising in Britain, although there are many opinions about the causes and the rates. Most scientists believe that the rate of sea-level rise has already accelerated and will continue to do so until levels of atmospheric carbon-dioxide start to be reduced.

Regardless of the cause or rate of sea-level rise the effects are the same, in a natural system land is “lost” and becomes sea. With a high coastline this manifests itself as erosion of the cliffs, but with a gently rising coastline the result is a slow movement of the shoreline inland – so over time a particular piece of land will change from dry land to shoreline shingle or mud, then foreshore and eventually to sea. The rate of change will depend on sea-level rise, but also on how “dynamic” the environment – how exposed it is to tide and waves.

In the case of a defended coastline if defences are maintained and increased to take into account the sea-level rise (Hold the Line in SMP’s etc) this results in the seaward side of the defence continuing to develop naturally – ie change from foreshore to sea, but the landward side remains the same. The result, known as “Coastal Squeeze” is that the foreshore (Sand, shingle or salt-marsh) is slowly lost together with the natural transition zone from land to sea.

The habitats of these ephemeral transition zones are both rare and important and as a result many are designated under international, European and National designations which require them to be protected.

We are very fortunate locally as the New Forest Coastline contains some of few areas where there is natural gently rising coastline. This is rare, particularly in Southern England, where most of coastline is heavily managed and defended to provide flood and erosion protection. These areas show a natural graduation from farmland, often to a narrow strip of woodland, then to a foreshore, often with the remains of fallen trees, to foreshore and salt-marsh.

The narrow strip of woodland provides a unique habitat, and the tree-roots will slow, and control the rate erosion. The fallen trees also provide a unique habitat and make the shoreline interesting and very different from most other places.

Within the Solent Protection Society we believe that these unique habitats should be maintained, by natural processes, and that they cannot be maintained by traditional engineering works. The most effective way to maintain the habitat is to allow natural roll-back. This should be done by allowing natural regeneration of indigenous vegetation, particularly woodland, along a margin between farmland and the coastal strip.

We would welcome members opinion of how these habitats should be managed and whether this should be funded by public authorities, or whether the landowner should be expected to manage appropriately.