THREE years ago
the Hampshire
and Isle of Wight
Wildlife Trust
began planning
how to rescue the 18thcentury
Itchen
Navigation waterway
after years of neglect.
The plans, which include
improving waterside habitats for
wildlife and creating a new heritage
trail, were ambitious. They
were also costly.
But now the Itchen Navigation
Heritage Trail Project team is
celebrating after receiving confirmation
of a Heritage Lottery
Fund grant of £1.6m.
The Itchen Navigation stretches
from Winchester, through
Eastleigh to Southampton.
Completed in 1710, it was constructed
as a navigable channel
to transport goods, such as coal,
by barge, after paying a toll.
However, the arrival of the
London and Southampton
Railway in 1839 led to a downturn
in use and the last barge left the
Navigation in 1869.
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Since then the channel has
gradually fallen into disrepair
and the habitats have deteriorated
to the point where some of the
outstanding wildlife species are
disappearing.
Despite its lack of care, the
Itchen Navigation boasts chalk
waters in fantastic condition.
Part of the ten-mile channel
between Winchester and
Southampton is designated as a
Special Area of Conservation;
others have been designated as
Sites of Special Scientific
Interest or as Sites of Interest for
Nature Conservation.
Species found in and around
the Navigation include southern
damselfly, fish such as brook lamprey,
bullhead and Atlantic
salmon, and mammals such as
otters and water voles.
The fact that the continuing
decline of the Navigation threatened
conditions for wildlife
prompted the trust to spearhead
the project.
Three years later, confirmation
of the funds means the trust can
now start leading work to preserve
the Itchen Navigation.
It will lead a partnership of the
Environment Agency,
Winchester City Council,
Eastleigh Borough Council,
Southampton City Council,
Hampshire County Council,
Natural England and the Inland
Waterways Association on a fiveyear
project.
Along the way, the team is hoping
to involve the community in
practical conservation and
amenity activities.
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