More than 12,000 people sign petition against Tipner West scheme in Portsmouth

A total of 12,250 residents are supporting calls by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIWWT) to scrap the Tipner West development that would see around 4,000 homes built in the north of the city.

Both groups claim the project would 'destroy' mudflats in the area that support species such as Brent geese as well as diverse populations of fish and invertebrates.

Debbie Tann, the chief executive of HIWWT, said: 'These vital natural resources, once lost, can’t be replaced or compensated for. We urgently need to re-think development at a local and national level.

'If we don’t start prioritising nature’s recovery, our cities will quickly become uninhabitable for both wildlife and people.'

As reported, Portsmouth City Council last year approved spending £8m to push forward with plans for the site that include reclaiming around 67 acres of land from Portsmouth Harbour’s Special Protection Area.

RSPB operations director for Southern England, Nick Bruce-White, added: 'We find it difficult to believe, in the current climate and ecological emergency, that a proposal to drain and concrete over an area with the highest level of protection for wildlife is even being considered at all by the planners.

'We also question whether the £8m proposed to merely prepare the planning application is best use of money right now.'

SEE ALSO: Next steps in Tipner West scheme to be taken

But a spokesman for the city council said a 'key aim' of the development was to create thousands of skilled jobs.

'We want to build on Portsmouth's shipbuilding heritage and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the city, especially in these challenging times,' he said.

'Whilst we understand the position of HIWWT and the RSPB, we continue to go over and above what is expected with regards to following the stringent ecological and environmental regulations, whilst engaging stakeholders such as HIWWT and the RSPB wherever possible.'

A central government grant of £48.75m has already been allocated to Portsmouth to enable the creation of jobs at Tipner West.

The petition can be found via action.wildlifetrusts.org/page/70887/petition/1.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news online - as well as fewer adverts, access to our digital edition and mobile app.

Our trial offer starts at just £2 a month for the first two months.