Harbour to Harbour Wildlife corridor

The Harbour to Harbour Wildlife Corridor between Pagham and Chichester is emerging as a vital green artery for West Sussex, linking two internationally important coastal habitats. Stretching across the farmed and semi-rural landscape between Pagham Harbour and Chichester Harbour, the corridor brings together landowners, conservation groups and local authorities around a shared goal: to make it easier for wildlife to move, feed and breed across the wider landscape, not just within protected site boundaries. By restoring hedgerows, wetlands, grassland and field margins, the project is helping to stitch together a fragmented countryside into something richer, more resilient and better able to cope with climate change. Find out more about the overall biodiversity strategy for West Sussex in this detailed report.

This landscape sits under intense pressure from development, recreational use and changing agricultural economics. Without coordinated action, habitats can quickly become isolated, leaving birds, insects and mammals trapped in shrinking pockets of suitable land. The Harbour to Harbour corridor is designed to counter that trend by identifying key movement routes and “stepping stone” habitats that species need as they travel between the two harbours. Practical measures might include creating new ponds and scrapes for waders, restoring coastal grazing marsh, planting native hedgerows, or managing grassland for pollinators and ground‑nesting birds. Each intervention is modest at field scale, but together they build a connected network that benefits a wide range of species.

Off-site Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) units are increasingly central to making this vision financially viable. As new developments come forward in the Chichester and Pagham area, many cannot deliver all of their required biodiversity uplift within the red-line development boundary. By purchasing off-site BNG units that are delivered within the Harbour to Harbour corridor, developers can meet their planning obligations while directly funding habitat creation and long‑term management in this strategic area. The income from these units supports landowners to change how land is managed, covers establishment costs and underpins the 30‑year commitments required to make nature recovery meaningful.

This link between planning policy and landscape restoration is one of the most powerful aspects of the corridor. It means that growth around Chichester does not have to come at the expense of nature; instead, it can help pay for new wetlands, better-connected grasslands and more robust ecological networks between the harbours. For local communities, that promises not only richer wildlife but also wider benefits such as flood attenuation, carbon storage and more attractive countryside for walking and recreation. For developers, it offers a credible, locally rooted story about how their projects are helping to deliver nature recovery on the ground, rather than simply offsetting impacts on paper.

Eco-Logical Landscapes is working with landowners throughout the Harbour to Harbour corridor, helping them design and deliver habitat projects that align with both farm business needs and the shared ecological vision for the area. Through tailored advice, clear agreements and long-term management plans, the team supports landowners to create and enhance wetlands, grasslands and hedgerow networks that strengthen connectivity between Pagham and Chichester Harbours. By directing off-site BNG investment into these priority sites, Eco-Logical Landscapes is actively channelling developer funding into the practical delivery of the corridor, and is fully committed to its aims of restoring nature at a landscape scale, supporting local wildlife and creating a more resilient countryside for future generations.

If you are a developer looking for offsite BNG units get in touch to find out how you use your BNG unit requirements to make a visible impact to the ecology of Sussex. Contact us to find out more about our offsite BNG units and our bespoke ecological consultancy that works for you to expedite your planning applications an minimise your costs whilst providing excellence in environmental compliance.