The refuge site – in place from October 2024 until March 2025 (inclusive) – is a requirement due to temporary loss of land within the common as a result of the ongoing Southsea Coastal Scheme construction along the seafront.
Southsea Common is a designated Solent Wader and Brent Goose Strategy (SWGBS) site. This classification requires mitigation measures to be implemented to provide an alternative, nearby area for overwintering brent geese to roost and feed during their winter months in Southsea.
Portsmouth City Council Leader, Cllr Steve Pitt said: “Fencing off this area during the winter months has provided a disturbance free, safe environment for the brent geese to roost and feed in.
“Monitoring has shown that high numbers of brent geese have been using the refuge regularly, with peak numbers seen during January and February so far.
“Between 22 and 195 individual birds have been observed in the enclosure over this time, which reflects the effectiveness of this mitigation measure.
“We appreciate that the reduction of space on Southsea Common is an inconvenience for some visitors to the seafront but Natural England required the fenced-off area as part of the planning conditions for the sea defence works.”
The refuge area will continue to be monitored until the end of March 2025 when the fence will be removed, coinciding with the geese returning to Siberia for the summer months.
Fencing will be reinstated from October 2025 – March 2026 when the brent geese return to overwinter in Southsea.
