Communities and nature to thrive under plans to improve green spaces

Councillors are to discuss ambitious plans that will open up opportunities for nature and enable communities to flourish across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Proposals have been put forward for the future of three Council-owned sites - Erlin Farm, Millhams Mead and Solent Meads - spanning more than 50 hectares. The plans aim to unlock investment in biodiversity that will pave the way for nature-rich spaces with improved accessibility.

BCP Council’s Cabinet will discuss recommendations to improve biodiversity at these sites by generating Biodiversity Net Gain units which keeps investment for improving nature local; councillors are also expected to recommend improving nature at Solent Meads as part of the re-tendering of golf facilities at the existing course.

Options for how to improve each specific site are being considered but there will be no housing or other built development on any of these sites.

The plans are intended to bolster public access to high-quality, inclusive green spaces and to reverse the decline in nature that has been seen across the UK and BCP by retaining nature investment locally rather than losing it to other areas of the country.

Despite that decline in nature, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is home to some of the UK’s rarest and most spectacular wildlife including all six of the UK’s reptile species. Improving these spaces will protect biodiversity and provide residents with high-quality green areas that support mental and physical wellbeing.

Cllr Andy Hadley, portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy at BCP Council, said: “These plans are about enhancing our open and wild spaces, that have real potential to improve access to nature for residents and the local community.

“We know that where nature thrives, people thrive too. We’ve had success already across our countryside sites like Throop water meadows and Canford Heath where targeted biodiversity investment is benefiting both people and wildlife.

“The end of the existing golf lease means, legally, we have to re-tender the offering and it provides a perfect opportunity to look at how improving nature can be a part of that whilst maintaining access to golf and considering other leisure use too."

CIL funding has previously been approved by BCP Council for investing in nature enabling detailed planning to begin.

The nature restoration work could then generate Biodiversity Net Gain units which can be sold to local developers to mitigate the impact of developments across BCP: retaining nature investment locally rather than losing it to other areas of the country.

Since February 2024, with no current supply of BNG units available locally, approximately £180,000 from developers for biodiversity net gain has been spent on improving nature outside Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole instead of retained locally.