Decision details

Hurst Spit is located at the eastern end of Christchurch Bay, forming the boundary with the Western Solent. Historically the Spit has been maintained by NFDC, particularly since the completion of the capital project undertaken in 1996.

Although NFDC has no Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk (FCERM) duty or land ownership responsibilities to undertake maintenance works, they have in the past been undertaken under the powers of the Coast Protection Act (1949) and when NFDC has been in receipt of grant-in-aid (GIA) funding and the necessary licences.

As the ability to attract sufficient GIA funding has now significantly reduced, along with a lack of contribution funding from landowners and other organisations, NFDC can no longer commit to undertaking any required maintenance works.

On 19 February 2025, Cllr Geoff Blunden, the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability made the following decision:

1. That it be noted that:
•NFDC is not a landowner of Hurst Spit
•NFDC has no statutory duty to undertake FCERM

2. That when maintenance and repair work is required to Hurst Spit, NFDC approach those landowners and organisations that have an operational interest in Hurst Spit to gauge their interest and likely financial support to enable repair works to be undertaken.

3. That NFDC will consider undertaking maintenance and repair works to Hurst Spit if in receipt of external funding (Grant in aid or other) and if works are required to protect against flood and erosion risk and if the appropriate licences and permissions are in place.

4. That the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability write to the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs to express concerns over the potential impacts of damage to Hurst Spit and the lack of funding provision to undertake repair works.

Any member of the Council, who is not a Portfolio Holder, who considers that this decision should be reviewed should give notice using the call-in facility at the top of this page on the Council’s intranet / extranet site.

Alternatively, notice can be given to the Monitoring Officer (Tanya Coulter) (in writing or by e-mail) to be received ON OR BY 5.15 pm on 26 February 2025.

Details of the document the Portfolio Holder considered are attached below.

That due to a lack of external funding NFDC cannot commit budget to undertaking maintenance works on an asset that it has no responsibility for.

Should funding become available through GIA or other external contributions then NFDC will consider undertaking maintenance works.

See report.