Since 2019, charities including Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and the RSPB have campaigned to scrap or reshape the Portsmouth City Council’s development plans for Tipner West, warning of substantial and unnecessary ecological damage while putting forward alternative visions that work with nature instead of against it. 

The southern part of Tipner West and its surrounding mudflats and other marine habitats are very special places, being designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protection Area (SPA), and a Ramsar Site, recognising their exceptional ecological value. 

In February, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner MP, rejected the scheme, concluding that the claimed public benefits of the development do not override the significant ecological damage it would have caused at Tipner West. Both Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and the RSPB hailed that ruling as a major victory for wildlife. 

But, under pressure of a potential legal challenge from the Council, the Government later withdrew this opinion and announced it would reconsider the case, a sudden U-turn that reignited fears Tipner West’s internationally important habitats could once again be put at risk. 

Following a fresh assessment, the Secretary of State has now reaffirmed the original conclusion: the public benefits of the development still do not outweigh the serious environmental damage.  

The opinion pointed to the direct loss of more than six hectares of intertidal and terrestrial habitat, disturbance to internationally important bird populations, and increased recreational pressure from new housing, applying “substantial” weight to the direct destruction of the protected habitats.  

In practical terms, this means Portsmouth City Council’s proposal to allocate Tipner West for large-scale development, including a marine employment hub, and 814 - 1,250 homes has once again been rejected. 

Portsmouth City Council has indicated that it is planning to bring forward an addendum to the draft local plan with a new, most likely scaled-back, development proposal for Tipner West.  

Both the Trust and the RSPB have said they remain open to working with the Council, local communities and decision-makers to ensure that any such proposals for Tipner West’s future reflects its importance as a protected wildlife site while also delivering for people. 

Debbie Tann MBE, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Chief Executive said "After months of uncertainty, it is vital that this decision settles the matter. The Government has once again confirmed that Tipner West’s protected habitats must never be put on the table for development.  

At the same time, we are aware that the wider planning context is shifting in a way that could potentially undermine this decision. It is critical that the Planning & Infrastructure Bill maintains the long-standing rule that development proposals must adhere to the mitigation hierarchy – this means first avoid doing harm to nature, then seek to minimise, and only as a last resort (if there is no alternative) to compensate. If this rule is scrapped as part of the Planning & Infrastructure Bill, sites like Tipner West could face renewed pressure and their designations may no longer mean much.” 

Carl Bunnage, RSPB England Head of Nature Policy said "We welcome the revised opinion from Government and hope that this will now draw a firm line under the previous damaging proposals. Sustainable economic development does not need to be at the cost of nature. We hope that the Council will now move forward with a development that respects and celebrates the rich wildlife of Portsmouth Harbour."   

Safeguarding Tipner West today is a win, but protecting what it represents for the future of the planning system is just as critical.