Portsmouth seafront flats delayed over bird habitat fears
- Published
The plans would provide 134 new homes on Fraser Range in Portsmouth
A seafront flats development that sparked outrage among local nudists has been delayed due to fears over protected bird species.
An application to build on Portsmouth's Fraser Range was withdrawn after an intervention by Natural England.
The plans, if approved, would provide 134 new homes across seven blocks.
The six-and-a-half acre site is next to the Chichester and Langstone Harbours Special Protection Area (SPA), which protects wintering bird species.
Natural England told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that more residents living nearby "pose a likely significant effect on the integrity of the site".
"We have worked with the applicant to provide advice on their mitigation strategy and what is required to make it compliant with the relevant regulations," it added.
The SPA safeguards the breeding of Little Tern, Little Egrets, Bar-Tailed Godwit and migratory species such as the Ringed Plover, Dark-Bellied Brent Goose, Dunlins and the assemblage of over 20,000 waterfowl.
The development also attracted criticism from residents who use the long-established nudist beach in Eastney, which is adjacent to the site.
However, council documents said that despite the development, the beach could still be used by nudists and others.
The development has received 144 letters of objection from the public raising concerns over the impact on wildlife, traffic congestion and overdevelopment of the site.
The homes would primarily be flats, ranging from one to three bedrooms, alongside seven houses and two duplexes.
If approved, the council stands to receive an estimated £2,790,664 from the applicant as part of the community infrastructure levy.
The applicant was approached for comment.
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