Aubrey Farm Land sold to The Environment Agency

Last week the BBC reported that "The Environment Agency has begun purchasing land ahead of plans to adapt a stretch of coastline because of climate change.

The agency bought 160 hectares of arable farmland around Keyhaven, Hampshire, as part of its legal obligation to replace any future loss of habitat.

The move is part of a review of the 15km (9.3 mile) stretch of coastline between Keyhaven, Pennington marshes, and Lymington." 

To read full article, please click here.

On the 9th December 2024, we published an article 'Aubrey Farm introduces The Keyhaven Natural Capital Scheme.' 

The article explained that we had read on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust website that The Keyhaven Natural Capital Scheme is being delivered on the 605-acre Aubrey Farm in Keyhaven by Kingwell (Aubrey) Ltd.

Once established, the land is to be turned over from farming to nature, to create a 1,000-acre ‘Nature Reserve’ that connects a site of special scientific interest, a Ramsar wetlands site, and special conservation areas to the west of the Pennington Marshes.

To form The Keyhaven Natural Capital Scheme, land owners, Kingwell have partnered with New Forest District Council, New Forest National Park Authority and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

The scheme aims to deliver the first Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and Nitrate Mitigation scheme in the New Forest. It also looks to mitigate water quality impacts from development sites within the New Forest District and National Park areas.

Developers now must ensure wildlife is left in a better state than it was before any development takes place. This requires a 10% improvement or ‘Biodiversity Net Gain’. 

To read full article, please click here.

It now appears that nearly 400 acres of farmland around Keyhaven has been bought by the Environment Agency only months after it was revealed it’s being turned into a nature reserve associated with a nitrate mitigation project, the Keyhaven Natural Capital Scheme.

Map of Keyhaven land
purchased by Environment Agency
Image from A&T

Reports in the Advertiser & Times have stated that the land is part of the 605-acre Aubrey Farm at Keyhaven, owned by Kingwell (Aubrey) Ltd.

The land is understood to include fields adjacent to Sturt Pond Nature Reserve.

It is further understood that Kingwell will continue to operate its nitrate management scheme on the land the Environment Agency now owns.

To read more in the Advertiser & Times, please click here. (A&T article behind a paywall.)