11A: WESTERN SOLENT

Traditional local sailing craft (X One Designs), using distinctive racing marks against wooded backdrop of – Gurnards Bay © Yachts and Yachting.

Solent off Lepe – Hilly wooded Hurst Spit, and castle from Western beach at Hurst in stormy backdrop of the Island – to Thorness the north east – © Ian West. conditions – concrete beach armour and Gurnard bays. at landward end of spit. © Ian West

Mesolithic timber remains – fossilised Eelgrass habitat in the shallows in peat deposits at Bouldner cliff © provides nursery grounds for Simon Brown SMA. numerous fish species © SolentForum

Hampshire County 1 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent

Hampshire County 2 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent

1.0 Location and Boundaries 1.1 The eastern boundary of this character area is influenced by a number of factors both above and below water. It is the approximate boundary between a greater proportion of Holocene origin muds to the east. In terms of shipping movements ferries and commercial traffic tend to use the waters in the eastern Solent than the west. In terms of coastline setting this character area has a less developed feel than the coast line and this has a perceptual influence on the boundary. The western boundary ties in with an imaginary line extended from the County boundary on land, southwards to Chistchurch Bay. The area extends as far as the mean low water mark of the mainland and Isle of Wight.

1.2 Component County Landscape Types: Coastal Sea

1.3 Composition of Borough/District LCAs: None

1.4 Associations with NCAs, Natural Areas and ’s Historic Seascape NCAs: None NA109: Solent and Poole Bay EHS: Water Eastern Approaches, Bouldnor Cliff, Hurst Spit, Beaulieu River (south part), (part), Christchurch Bay (part).

2.0 Key Characteristics  A former Pleistocene river valley, flowing west to east with a shingley silty undulating sea bed with overlying muds.  Predominantly recreational sailing vessels with Yarmouth, East Cowes, and Beaulieu all being key popular recreational sailing moorings/destinations.  Unusual tidal conditions due to the influence of the Isle of Wight including unique double high tide, near .  Internationally important for marine and coastal biodiversity with SAC designations at mouth estuary areas.  Commercial fishing interests for shellfish rather than fish, where trawling affects the natural sea bed characteristics.  Submerged evidence of large Mesolithic community off Bouldnor Cliff of national importance.  Rich history of shipwreck archaeology and WW2 aircraft.

Hampshire County 3 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent

 Visually prominent coastal landmarks on the edge of the character area include; /lighthouse, , Needles lighthouse, Fort Albert, .  Varied low coastline to the south in contrast to the hilly backdrop of the Isle of Wight to the north.

Hampshire County 4 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent

3.0 Physical Characteristics and Land Use 3.1 The underlying geology is comprised of the Headon and formation (clay with thin beds of sand and marl). Christchurch bay is recognised for its important geology of the Barton beds which include clays more than 200 feet thick, laid down in a shallow marine environment, and above these earth beds which contain hundreds of species of fossil shells. Above the Eocence deposits are the periglacial gravel beds from the Pleistocene (2million to 11 500 yrs ago). The Pleisotcene ice sheets did not cross this region and the gravelly deposits were limited to former valleys called paleovalleys. The seabed sediment is predominantly comprised of sands and gravels in this part of turning more to muds further east in the adjoining character area. There are no current licensed gravel extraction areas in the Solent.

3.2 The main Solent channel bed is formed into large waves. Sediment movement is predominantly moved west to east with subangular flinty beach shingle from Christchurch bay being moved progressively eastwards to re-nourish Hurst spit. Where the coastal features, such as Hurst spit, are prominent above mean low water springs they are described in the adjoining land based character areas. The formation and continuation of the coastal spits, which often protect vulnerable habitats such as saltmarsh, are dependent on input of sediment. Throughout the 20th century coastal protection and construction of groynes, such as at Christchurch have reduced this natural sediment input and threatened the survival of the features. The main channel is fairly narrow and deepens going westward from an average of about 10 to 15m deep. It is about 20m below ordnance datum at the far east of the character area, to about 55m below west of Hurst spit. The depth shallows in Christchurch bay and the channel cross section is strongly asymmetric with the mainland side being much shallower than the island side and in places the intertidal area is up to 2km wide.

3.3 There is a double high tide effect in and around Southampton Water and the tidal regime of the Solent is one of the most complex in the world. There are significantly strong tides particularly off Fort Albert (3.8knots max) and Gurnard bay (3.5knots max) which have particular potential for tidal energy sites 95. Wave height is low (mostly less than 0.5m), but the wave period (distance between waves), is shorter than in the more exposed .

3.4 This is an extremely busy and popular area for recreational sailing. The main moorings and marinas are at Lymington, Cowes, Yarmouth and Beaulieu. There is a ferry crossing from Lymington quay to Yarmouth but otherwise no other ferry routes.

3.5 The area is fished for pelagic, demersal and most significantly shellfish. Compared with other sites around the country the fisheries activities are much lower. Lobster, crab, mussels and oysters are the main shellfisheries. The and banks in the Solent provide important locations for spats but do not provide sufficiently good feeding conditions for oysters to achieve marketable condition. The largest designated shell fishing areas are to the northeast coast of the Island. The principle fish species include, plaice, bass and sole. It is thought that most species have seen a decline principally due to pollution and in particular bass

Hampshire County 5 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent

leading to the designating of specified bass nursery areas which are located in the harbours and fishing restrictions.

4.0 Experiential/Perceptual Characteristics 4.1 There are numerous visual landmarks which are defence related such as Hurst castle, Fort Albert, Yarmouth and Calshot Castle (but no marine forts as in the Eastern Solent) as well as light houses at the Needles and Hurst spit. The backdrop to this stretch of the Solent is less developed than to the east. Underwater the water is often turbid and cloudy limiting visibility especially where currents are strongest and more exposed areas.

4.2. Most commercial traffic exits and enters the Solent from the east, along the main channel. There is a multitude of navigational marks, against the land at night that can be difficult to observe. The main channel between the Hurst narrows and Brambles bank is on average 4.5km wide and narrows off at the former to 1.4km. There are many permanent racing marks either side of the main channel.

4.3 The comparative lack of commercial vessels and ferries and the predominantly natural backdrop of the coastline make these coastal waters feel less intensively exploited than the Eastern Solent. The open sea can offer wildness and remoteness in close proximity to a huge number of people engaged in sailing activity. There are public slipways in the adjoining estuaries such as the Yar and Lymington and only one on the adjoining coastline at Calshot. There are several car parks right on the coast where people can informally access the water particularly at and Christchurch Bay but few immediately on the New Forest coastline.

5.0 Biodiversity Character 5.1 The Solent within the character area is internationally designated as part of the Solent Maritime SAC. This encompasses lower reaches of several estuarine systems. The Solent and its inlets are unique in Britain and Europe for their hydrographic regime of four tides each day, and for the complexity of the marine and estuarine habitats present within the area. The area adjoins and is interconnected with intertidal habitats within character areas 9a and 9b.

5.2 The SAC habitats in this character area are associated with the estuarine habitats of the Beaulieu, Yar and Newtown rivers. Secondary habitats include marine muds and gravel beds which support mantis shrimp and oyster beds. Seagrass meadows extend into the sub littoral zone into this character area, providing habitat to fish and marine species including, potentially, seahorse. Seagrass meadows can occur in water as shallow as 1m deep. They are rich habitats, supporting marine species and consequently providing valuable feeding resources for wintering waterfowl and seabirds.

5.3 There are no SINC designations within this landscape character area.

6.0 Historic Character Hampshire County 6 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent

6.1 Archaeology 6.1.1 The Solent was a river valley during the Mesolithic. Rising sea levels inundated it west of the Isle of Wight. As a consequence there are old landscapes on the seabed where people hunted and gathered in the Palaeolithic and early Mesolithic periods. Fragments of submerged forests have been recorded at low tides. Bouldnor Cliff off the New Forest coast is thought to be the site of a Mesolithic community and the seascape assessment recognises its importance by defining a character area based on its predicted extent.

6.1.2 As a result of the inundation the Solent was essentially a large natural harbour and probably attracted sea traffic from the continent or locally along the coast. We might suspect that Neolithic seafarers used this land fall, but we know from a boat fragment at Testwood lakes that Bronze Age boats came into this area. The Iron Age coastal establishments, like Exbury, originate from sea trade. There are plenty of continental influences and artefacts that exist in the archaeological record, and more recently, study of human remains has show that people whose bodies have been unearthed here had come from across Europe.

6.1.3 The Roman invasion is speculated by some to have arrived in the Solent area. Much of the subsequent coastal Roman development was further east. The primary importance of the whole Solent area is reflected in the area being referred to as Portus Magnus.

6.1.4 We know that Saxon raiders came along the Solent coast and the Cedrics Ora, a historical landing place of one great movement, is suggested to be in Hampshire. Through the medieval period trade came up the Solent to the ports along its length, most notably Southampton. We also know that raiders followed the same route sacking towns, from the Vikings to the French. The narrow approaches at each end of the Solent were girdled by batteries and forts. In the West it was the narrows off Hurst spit. Searchlight batteries would have stabbed light out to thwart night time raiders. The often dangerous waters off the Needles have numerous shipwreck remains.

6.2 Historic Seascape 6.2.1 In the 10th century, Southampton had established itself in the wool and wine trade and was later specially appointed to be the exclusive market for metal export. The 15th century saw a high point in prosperity for Southampton, stimulated from trade with Mediterranean luxury goods. Pre 1500 the ports of the western Solent to Poole (Waterford, Lymington, Yarmouth and Milford) appear to have had the bulk of shipping compared to the Eastern Solent93. The most significant areas of saltworkings in the Solent were at Lymington and Yarmouth. The importance of this stretch of the Solent was recognised by the construction of Hurst castle (built in by Henry VIII In the 16th century Bristol and London began to dominate foreign trade which adversely affected the Solent. Local trade along the coast and across the channel continued. Wool and corn were chief export products to France and Spain and wine imported from France.

.6.2.2 Buckler’s hard in the Beaulieu estuary became an important area for building and repairing naval ships from the mid 18th century. However, with the closure of the

Hampshire County 7 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent

yard in 1818 naval repairs and ship building was concentrated in Bursledon and . Salt trading declined rapidly in the early 19th century due to competition from Cheshire of rocksalt and this must have had a significant effect on the local ports. From the 19th century the area became one of the first in the UK to develop continental liners business and marked a new direction in the composition of shipping traffic. By 1830 the vessels were carrying more than 100 000 passengers a year.

6.2.3 Recreational sailing took off in the 20th century. This area and the eastern Solent host prestigious regattas such as Cowes Week, Round the Island race, the start of the Fastnet and was the start and finish to the Whitbread round the world race. Dinghy sailing tends to cluster around the harbour estuary entrances such as Lymington and Yarmouth.

Hampshire County 8 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent

EVALUATION 7.0 FORCES FOR CHANGE 1. Recreation pressures trends in yachting. 2. Climate change in particular sea level rise and increase in frequency of storms - large waves, changes to water temperatures and stronger tidal currents and adaptation responses. 3. Effect on natural coastline by shoreline development. 4. Fishing trends. 5. Introduction of alien species from continental shipping.

KEY QUALITIES AND EFFECTS OF FORCES 7.1 Recreational sailing is the dominant surface water use in this part of the Solent with a single ferry crossing to the island – access to the waters edge below mean low water is best to the west of Hurst spit. The area supports some shell fishing and nursery/spawning areas for commercial fishing. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: 1.2.4 Threats: Achieving the right balance between recreational sailing pressures on nature conservation interests. Competition with other sailing venues. Climate change and casual introduction of alien species on existing shell fish and fish species stocks.

Opportunities: Support outcomes of t coastal access audit for this area and CAP aims to increase access to the coast particularly landward of the character area in the east.

7.2 The estuarine habitats are internationally important. The sublittoral habitat is predominantly muds and gravels and is a UK priority BAP habitat, the more sheltered and weaker tidal areas are generally more diverse. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: All Threats: The draft Solent European Marine Sites management scheme identifies an inventory of human activities in and around the SAC sites – the most relevant are probably connected with fishing, foreshore recharge and recreational sailing. The Solent Forum habitat information packs identify threats to the sublittoral sands and gravels and muddy gravels habitats (there is a greater percentage of the former in this character area than to the east). In particular, threats identified in this publication which are particularly relevant to this key quality include, physical disturbance, nutrient enrichment.

Opportunities: Support ‘Seasearch’ marine surveys which investigate marine habitats in the Solent. Support aims of the Solent Forum and SMP– to protect these sublittoral habitats and emphasise the importance to local fish and shell fish stocks and role of natural sediment in coastal defence.

Hampshire County 9 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent

7.3 Within the sea floor lies a legacy of prehistoric submerged landscapes and Mesolithic human occupation evidence that is of national importance at Bouldnor Cliff, east of Hurst spit and a significant shipwreck resource providing tangible evidence for the historical importance of this area for trade - such as at Yarmouth Roads. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: 1.3 Threats: A limited knowledge and information on the history and archaeology of the harbours. Physical damage to the sea bed and historic artefacts from trawling/anchors.

Opportunities: Support aims of the Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology and projects such as Archaeology and Coastal Change which is a project funded by the Standing Conference on Problems Associated with the Coastline (SCOPAC), to promote further survey and greater understanding of the area’s archaeology. Enforcement of byelaws and implementation of fishing policies to safeguard damage to the sea bed archaeology (Sea Fisheries Committee).

7.4 Contrasting character of more enclosed, less exposed, generally flatter waters and wooded and hilly backdrop of the seascape east of Hurst spit with the open seascape of Christchurch Bay to the west, with strong tides and in the east, and a double high water. FORCES FOR CONSEQUENCES CHANGE: All Threats: Development inland which would compromise the natural backdrop to this part of the Solent. Breaching of Hurst spit and or changes in sediment supply to replenish this and other spit features along this stretch of coast which would alter the relatively sheltered coastline and estuary entrances at Lymington, Beaulieu and Calshot. The creation of unsightly sea defences and realignment and change in natural shoreline appearance through maintenance with unsuitable materials.

Opportunities: Support SMP and coastal defence strategies and aim to influence design, material choice and alignment of defences. Take into account the effect of coastal defence work to the west that might inevitably adversely affect eastward movement of suspended marine sediment. Look into opportunities to work with the local community on identifying popular and valued views and landmarks in this part of the Solent.

Hampshire County 10 Status: FINAL DRAFT Autumn 2010 Integrated Character Assessment Western Solent