Chichester Harbour Trust

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 2006 - 07


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