Climate change fears lead to coastal land purchase

The agency has bought 160 hectares of arable farmland around Keyhaven

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.

Predicted rising sea levels and a higher frequency of storms mean the agency is looking at the best way to manage the area over the next 100 years.

The Environment Agency will gradually reduce the maintenance of Hurst Spit

The current proposals would maintain the defences at the mile-long Hurst Spit for the next 10 to 20 years, after which intervention would be gradually reduced.

Nick Gray, Environment Agency (EA) flood manager for the Solent and South Downs area, said: "We are proposing that for places where there are homes and businesses - communities like Lymington - we need to keep investing in maintaining and improving those flood defences.

"How we manage Hurst Spit into the future needs to have a more blended approach."

Changes to the maintenance of the spit will affect Hurst Castle

The method could see the spit roll back naturally, becoming lower and wider.

The agency said this could increase the flood risk, with new defences needed further inland.

It could also result in the loss of saltmarsh, an internationally important habitat for birds and plants.

The purchase of the land around Keyhaven is to replace that lost habitat.

Campaign group Save Lymington and Keyhaven has been formed in response and has met with the agency to address worries.

Resident Wendy told the BBC: "I don't like it... I don't like the idea of change.

"Anything that they're suggesting doesn't look as if it's going to actually help the wildlife or the people who enjoy this area."

Changes to the maintenance of the spit will also affect Hurst Castle.

Rob Woodside, director of estates for English Heritage, said: "Hurst Castle is by far our most vulnerable site.

"We need access along the spit in order to help maintain the property.

"We can't get everything out by boat so we rely on being able to run vehicles across it and that's going to be really important if we look to further defend the castle in the future."

The EA said it was listening to the local community and nothing had been decided yet. Formal proposals will be put forward next year.