Titchfield Haven: Council plans to shut and sell nature reserve's visitor centre

Money from the sale of the two buildings would go back into supporting the reserve, the council said

A council is proposing to close a visitor centre at a nature reserve in a bid to save money.

Hampshire County Council wants to sell off Haven House at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, near Fareham.

The sale would include the centre's reception, café and shop, as well as Haven Cottage, an empty Grade II listed residential building.

The authority said the money would "tackle a projected £1.8m funding gap" at the site over the next three years.

It said both buildings were "ageing and requiring significant investment to maintain".

The reserve is a refuge for wading birds, including the rare Avocet - a black and white wader which is the emblem of the RSPB

Under the plans, the money from selling the two buildings would be put back into the nature reserve, the council said.

It would also be used to create a new purpose-built visitor entrance and information point.

The nature reserve has recorded 200 diverse types of bird and features over 300 types of plant, of which six are noted as nationally scarce.

It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

A public survey on the proposals is open until 1 November and a final decision will made on 8 December.