Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has raised strong concerns about Associated British Ports’ (ABP) proposals for Solent Gateway 2, warning that the development could seriously damage important wildlife habitats.
The project proposes creating a new automotive terminal on reclaimed land between Marchwood and Hythe, including a jetty, new roads and a country park.
Concerns over ecological impact
The Solent and its surrounding designated sites, including the New Forest, hold exceptional ecological value. They support a wide range of wildlife, from breeding and wintering birds to nationally significant invertebrates and carbon-storing habitats such as saltmarsh and seagrass.
The Trust says the plans would lead to an unprecedented level of encroachment on these sensitive areas, including direct harm to Dibden Bay Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Dibden Bay supports nationally rare and scarce species, including breeding birds such as lapwing.
Protected sites at risk
According to the Trust, the expansion could affect more than 100 hectares of land within the Dibden Bay SSSI. It describes this scale of development as “wholly inappropriate” and “fundamentally incompatible” with the site’s protected status.
Debbie Tann MBE, Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said,
“The Solent and the New Forest are already under significant ecological pressure, with many habitats and species in long-term decline. It is critical that further development does not push the Solent’s ecosystems beyond recovery thresholds.
“We are advocating for strong safeguards and offering advice on the emerging proposals to ensure that the potential impacts on wildlife, habitats, and the proposed country park are fully considered.”
Threat to bird populations and wider habitats
The Trust also warns that Solent Gateway 2 could have major consequences for the Solent and Southampton Water Special Protection Area (SPA), which supports tens of thousands of wintering birds, including dark-bellied brent geese.
It says the development could cause knock-on effects for nearby protected areas such as the Hythe to Calshot Marshes SSSI and the New Forest National Park.
Call for strict environmental safeguards
The Wildlife Trust argues that allowing development on these protected areas sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that “nowhere is safe for nature.”
It emphasises that any project in this area must follow the mitigation hierarchy – avoiding harm where possible, reducing unavoidable impacts, and only as a last resort creating replacement habitats.
The Trust says it will continue to monitor ABP’s proposals and press for strong safeguards to protect the Solent’s ecological integrity and internationally important habitats.
The public consultation on Solent Gateway 2 closed on 13th October 2025, with a statutory consultation expected in 2026.
