A £16m plan may sever Hurst Castle from the UK coast, creating a new island due to coastal flooding.
The Environment Agency has a plan that costs sixteen million pounds. They want to let the coast flood naturally, so new salt marshes could grow over time. This means less human control over the coast.
Locals worry about the shingle bank, because it could erode and strand the castle. Lymington, a nearby town, might be more open to the sea. Critics say the coast could change a lot, and heritage sites and harbors face potential risk.
Dominic May is part of a “Save Lymington” group. He says the river will change a lot. Hurst Castle’s connection to the shore could end forever. He also mentioned limited shelter during storms, and Lymington Harbour even faces danger.
The plan is still being discussed. Parts of the bank might be breached, and tidal waters could flood the area if this happens. Rupert Wagstaff warns that the harbor could fully face the sea.
The plan mainly helps birds, but other things may suffer, he thinks. However, the Environment Agency says no deliberate breaches are planned. They admit the coast is in danger due to sea levels rising, plus there’s erosion.
They say habitats and sites will be impacted, and Hurst Castle is included on that list. Hampshire lost salt marshes since the seventies. Doing nothing means they all vanish soon.
The agency will hold public talks later this year, where people can share what they think. Hurst Castle already had some damage when a wall fell down back in 2021. If the new plans proceed, the group fears the worst, and Hurst Castle risk becoming a permanent island. That would be so sad.