Purpose

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.

Decision

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.