More than 60 local people stood together in front of the locked gates of Harbour Farm, Bembridge on Sunday, protesting at what they call the Environment Agency’s the lack of action, since it bought the site ten years ago.
The protesters all held daffodils as a reminder of what they were missing in the locked gardens behind them.
Joining the protest
Protesters included bird watchers, naturalists, ecologists, local politicians and educationalists, including Andrew Turner, the IW MP until 2017, local councillor Sir Paul Kenny, ex general secretary of the GMB union, Vix Lowthion, the Green Party Education spokesperson and prospective Parliamentary candidate for Isle of Wight East, and Chani Courtney, representing Surfers Against Sewage on the Isle of Wight.
Homan: Issue has “huge and universal appeal”
Andrew Holman, chair of the action group, said such a turn out,
“Shows just how much this proposal has such huge and universal appeal across the whole local population.”
Purchased
Readers will remember that Harbour Farm was purchased from Colonel Kenneth Hicks and his wife, Deidre in 2013, by the Environment Agency (EA) who lease the land to the RSPB.
The purchase was made as part of the EA’s Water Level Management Plan, to allow for river levels to be raised and creating breeding grounds for wildfowl that includes brent geese, widgeons, shovellers, lapwings, and redshanks.
Holman: ‘Left to go to wrack and ruin’
Mr Holman says that since then the “once beautiful gardens, rare apple orchards, houses, stables and barns have been left to go to wrack and ruin”.
The action group believes this to be an ideal educational, leisure and tourist site to enable the public to connect with nature.
Mr Holman says that this was a suggestion made by the Agency’s own consultants in a 2023 report on the Embankment area. He adds,
“One they seem to have forgotten about.”
Plans for nature walk and more
The group are working on plans for a nature walk, bird hides and an accessible, wildlife education centre featuring all wildlife organisations, conservation work, green activities and protected life in the area.
Mr Holman says that having consulted wildlife and local naturalists, the group have made clear their plans would be low impact and cause no disturbance to wildlife. He added that they are willing to set up a Community Interest Company to run the site responsibly and for the benefit of all, the countryside, wildlife and people.
Lowthion: Really important sites like this are a part of education
Vix Lowthion, the Green Party prospective parliamentary candidate for Isle of Wight East, said,
“We are all stakeholders in this land and we have a right to have our voices heard in the consultation.
“We aren’t going to threaten anything here by having a couple of bird hides and a nature trail. This is the perfect opportunity to encourage young people to find out more about the natural world and help preserve it.”
She added,
“What really threatens nature is the lack of access to it, people need to understand how important it is. People need to know the different birds they’ve got and the land they’ve got. It is really important that sites like this are a part of education.”
Four wishes
Andrew Holman spoke at the end of the day with a summary of actions to date and plans for the future, he said they wanted four things:
- Clarification about what has happened and is being planned for the site, from the EA’s management and the RSPB
- A commitment from the EA to a proper consultation, stating “We need to be included in the decision making process itself”
- Work with other organisations such as the Wildlife Trust, the Isle of Wight Biosphere and other reserves and wildlife centres on the Island to further develop these proposals ready for the agency’s promised consultation
He finished by adding the fourth wish,
“Finally, we need to keep the pressure up and keep our lobbying going so they know we aren’t going away anytime soon.
“It would be much easier to believe the other experts we’ve consulted, saying this is the way forward for this land and to start listening to what everyone else in the area is saying they want from their land.”
EA: No discussions have taken place and no decisions have been made
This afternoon (Monday), an Environment Agency spokesperson told News OnTheWight,
“We purchased Harbour Farm in 2014 to ensure the conservation and enhancement of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). The land is leased to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), who recognise the importance of managing the site for the protection of bird species and wildlife.
“The wetlands are of international importance, and therefore we have an obligation to maintain the wetland habitat and water levels. We increased water levels on the site to protect the wildlife.
“We have not made any firm decisions about the future of Harbour Farm. When we get to the point of looking at potential options, we would be happy to discuss these with the local community.”
A spokesperson for the EA also told News OnTheWight that no group within the EA has been set up, and no discussions or decisions have been made about the future operation and use of the farm.
Article edit
4pm 5th Feb 2024 – Comment from EA added
4pm 6th Feb 2024 – “Compulsorily” removed from section about the purchase
