Chichester Harbour Trust

Eames Farm to be transferred to Chichester Harbour Trust

A nationally important wildlife habitat is to be transferred from West Sussex County Council to the Chichester Harbour Trust, ensuring its environmental future for the benefit of generations to come.

Eames Farm on Thorney Island belongs at present to the County Council, but the ownership of the 71.7 hectares (177.1 acres) site will move to the Harbour Trust on a 999-year lease, with a peppercorn rent.

The Harbour Trust was formed as an independent charity in 2002 with the specific aim of acquiring and conserving land around the harbour, of landscape or environmental value, to protect it for public benefit. The Trust plans to lease the farm to the Harbour Conservancy which will install a tenant farmer to graze the land on the low-key sustainable basis required to maintain the site’s environmental value. In the longer term it is intended to use some of the farm outbuildings as an education and visitor centre, showing people the importance of conservation and environmental management. The farm will also be an example of environmentally sensitive farming in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

County Council Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources Louise Goldsmith said: “I am delighted to have been able to approve the transfer of this important site to the Trust, securing its long-term future and providing the Trust with the opportunity to promote its objectives around the harbour.”

 Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy Deborah Urquhart said: “The transfer to the Trust will help safeguard this beautiful unspoilt area of reed beds and meadowland now and for future generations.

The Trust, as an independent charity, was established specifically to protect this kind of sensitive site around the harbour from development pressures.”

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Chairman of Chichester Harbour Trust Sir Jeremy Thomas said: “I am delighted by this act of environmental vision by the County Council.
“Eames Farm lies at the centre of the Harbour. Its extensive reedbeds and meadowland provide wildlife habitats of national importance. Such places are becoming increasingly rare.
“This gesture will enable the Trust to conserve an important national asset for future generations to enjoy.”

The Chichester Harbour Trust appoints 2 new Trustees

The Chichester Harbour Trust, the local conservation charity, has announced the appointment as trustees of former Lord Mayor of London, Sir Robert Finch, and Admiral Sam Salt.

Sir Robert, an international property lawyer and former head of real estate at Linklaters was elected Lord Mayor of London in 2003. At the end of his term of office he returned to Linklaters before joining the board of Liberty International, the shopping centre and property owner.

Rear Admiral Sam Salt had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, culminating in his appointment as Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff. Since retiring he has been a director of Vosper Thorneycroft and Master of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers.

Sir Jeremy Thomas, Chairman of Trustees, said: “I’m delighted that these two distinguished local people have agreed to join our board. We will benefit enormously from their wisdom and expertise. The charity now owns nearly 200 acres of land around Chichester Harbour and as we grow more established we’re able to be more pro-active in local conservation. I’m really pleased that we have such a high calibre board of trustees to guide the Trust in this important work”.

 

National Publicity for the Trust as ‘Country Life’ Magazine Cover Story


The 7 Feb 08 edition of ‘Country Life’ Magazine carried a feature article by local journalist Liz Sagues explaining the work of the Chichester Harbour Trust.

Complemented by images from photographer David Noton, the article emphasises the importance of Chichester Harbour as a wildlife habitat, a beautiful landscape and a peaceful refuge to be enjoyed by the local inhabitants and the many visitors to the area alike.

It particularly stresses the ‘people pressure’ that threatens the area through the demand for more housing and the temptations of ever increasing land prices.

The article points to a number of projects where the Trust is helping to ease that pressure by taking over areas of land for the very long term. It also highlights the value of the charity as a mechanism whereby the local authority can set land aside as an ‘environmental corridor’ in the hands of the Trust in order to minimise the impact of necessary development.

Country Life has a circulation of over 40,000 so such a prominent article will give the Chichester Harbour Trust some very valuable exposure throughout the Country. It will help to explain the importance of the charity’s aim to conserve Chichester Harbour both now and for generations to come.
 

The Trust Seeks County Council Agreement to Protect the North-East of the Harbour with a ‘Buffer Zone’.

As many local people know, included in the wide-ranging improvements proposed for the A27 south of Chichester is a new road to run from the A286, west of Apuldram, in the vicinity of Mile Pond Farm, across country to the Fishbourne (or Tesco) roundabout.

The anxiety is that this new road across what is now farmland will bring with it not only new housing to the east of the route but development to the west towards the harbour as well.

The harbour is particularly vulnerable because the boundary of the protected AONB runs along Apuldram Lane – only 700 yards from the water’s edge.

It is generally accepted that to allow development right up to the AONB boundary – either now or in the future - would have an enormous impact on the harbour landscape and destroy the rural nature of Apuldram and the Fishbourne Meadows.

It has therefore been proposed that a ‘buffer zone’ in the form of an ‘environmental corridor’ should be established between the edge of the AONB and the new road, to be held in trust by the charity to protect it for generations to come.

The County Council, who owns the land, has welcomed the idea in principle and is now actively discussing with the Chichester Harbour Trust the terms of a Joint Statement of Understanding. This will establish how the Trust and the Council will work together to balance the need for housing with the proper protection of the harbour, and will include the arrangements for the creation of an ‘environmental corridor’.

Although the building of the new road is a few years away, it is hoped to sign the Joint Statement of Understanding in the Spring in order to ensure that the principle of protection is in place well before any development plans are finalised.

Sir Jeremy Thomas, Chairman of the Chichester Harbour Trust has said that this is one of the most significant steps for the charity in its five-year life. The Trust will be playing a vital role in protecting the harbour at its most vulnerable against a very real threat of intrusive development – exactly what the Trust was established to do.
 

Report & Accounts 2007-08


Copies of the audited Report & Accounts are available from the Trust Administrator at Chichester Harbour Trust, PO Box 327, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 1ZN

Telephone: 01243 777632

Email: admin@chichesterharbourtrust.org.uk