Thorney Island Habitat Creation Project

Thorney Island habitat creation project logo
Securing the future at Thorney Island for people and wildlife

Find out how we're working with nature to create new coastal habitats, strengthen flood resilience and adapt Thorney Island, Chichester Harbour to rising sea levels.

Thorney Island is a special place for people and wildlife. It is also a valuable recreational site for people in the local community, enjoying a scenic walk, spotting wildlife and visiting historic landmarks.

The saltmarsh and mudflats in Chichester Harbour are recognised as internationally important habitats for wildlife, particularly migratory birds. With rising sea levels, both the habitats and the island’s flood defence embankments are under increasing pressure from tides, waves and storms. The island is owned by the Ministry of Defence, with Baker Barracks at its centre.

Increased flood resilience

The Thorney Island Habitat Creation Project has been established to create new intertidal habitats while also delivering a new set back flood defence on the western side of the island, designed to adapt to rising sea levels. The Environment Agency is working together with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Chichester Harbour Conservancy (CHC) to deliver this project.

Restoring Saltmarsh and Mudflats

We are developing plans that will enable the Environment Agency to create openings at two locations in the existing tidal embankment. This will allow seawater to flow in and out of the lower lying land between the old and new banks with the tides.

Over time, this will form new saltmarsh and mudflat habitats, restoring losses across Chichester Harbour and the Solent. This (managed realignment) process is designed to achieve the controlled adaptation of this area of the coast, resulting in benefits to both flood defences and wildlife, creating a resilient coastline for people and nature. It is called managed realignment.

A footpath fit for the future

The new embankment will play an important role in protecting the local community and military barracks. Our designs also carefully consider the future of the footpath around the island.

To create space for the new intertidal habitat, the path will be moved further inland and rerouted onto the new embankment. Rerouting the footpath creates an opportunity to provide a better walking surface and reduce the risk of the path being damaged by future coastal erosion and flooding. Check out our Gallery for a map of our proposal.

Together, these changes will help people continue to enjoy this beautiful stretch of coastline for years to come.


Listen to our immersive soundscape and discover how Thorney Island could sound in the future!







Stay connected with the Thorney Island Habitat Creation Project


As the Thorney Island habitat creation project progresses, we want to better understand how people use and value Thorney Island. Your feedback will help us learn what is important to the community. We'll continue to update this page as the project develops and share future opportunities to get involved.

Get involved

There are several ways you can share your views and learn more about the project:

  • Complete our short survey to tell us how you use Thorney Island and what you value most about the area.
  • Add a pin to our community map and tell us about a place you enjoy on Thorney Island.
  • Check out our news feed for the latest project updates
  • Register on Engagement HQ to interact with project tools and follow projects that interest you.
  • Visit this page regularly for the latest project updates, events, and opportunities to get involved.

Environment Agency logoMinistry of Defence logoChichester Harbour Conservancy logo

Thorney Island habitat creation project logo
Securing the future at Thorney Island for people and wildlife

Find out how we're working with nature to create new coastal habitats, strengthen flood resilience and adapt Thorney Island, Chichester Harbour to rising sea levels.

Thorney Island is a special place for people and wildlife. It is also a valuable recreational site for people in the local community, enjoying a scenic walk, spotting wildlife and visiting historic landmarks.

The saltmarsh and mudflats in Chichester Harbour are recognised as internationally important habitats for wildlife, particularly migratory birds. With rising sea levels, both the habitats and the island’s flood defence embankments are under increasing pressure from tides, waves and storms. The island is owned by the Ministry of Defence, with Baker Barracks at its centre.

Increased flood resilience

The Thorney Island Habitat Creation Project has been established to create new intertidal habitats while also delivering a new set back flood defence on the western side of the island, designed to adapt to rising sea levels. The Environment Agency is working together with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Chichester Harbour Conservancy (CHC) to deliver this project.

Restoring Saltmarsh and Mudflats

We are developing plans that will enable the Environment Agency to create openings at two locations in the existing tidal embankment. This will allow seawater to flow in and out of the lower lying land between the old and new banks with the tides.

Over time, this will form new saltmarsh and mudflat habitats, restoring losses across Chichester Harbour and the Solent. This (managed realignment) process is designed to achieve the controlled adaptation of this area of the coast, resulting in benefits to both flood defences and wildlife, creating a resilient coastline for people and nature. It is called managed realignment.

A footpath fit for the future

The new embankment will play an important role in protecting the local community and military barracks. Our designs also carefully consider the future of the footpath around the island.

To create space for the new intertidal habitat, the path will be moved further inland and rerouted onto the new embankment. Rerouting the footpath creates an opportunity to provide a better walking surface and reduce the risk of the path being damaged by future coastal erosion and flooding. Check out our Gallery for a map of our proposal.

Together, these changes will help people continue to enjoy this beautiful stretch of coastline for years to come.


Listen to our immersive soundscape and discover how Thorney Island could sound in the future!







Stay connected with the Thorney Island Habitat Creation Project


As the Thorney Island habitat creation project progresses, we want to better understand how people use and value Thorney Island. Your feedback will help us learn what is important to the community. We'll continue to update this page as the project develops and share future opportunities to get involved.

Get involved

There are several ways you can share your views and learn more about the project:

  • Complete our short survey to tell us how you use Thorney Island and what you value most about the area.
  • Add a pin to our community map and tell us about a place you enjoy on Thorney Island.
  • Check out our news feed for the latest project updates
  • Register on Engagement HQ to interact with project tools and follow projects that interest you.
  • Visit this page regularly for the latest project updates, events, and opportunities to get involved.

Environment Agency logoMinistry of Defence logoChichester Harbour Conservancy logo

  • Experience the future of Thorney Island through sound

    We have collaborated with Hazel Reeves, an independent sound artist to create an evocative, immersive soundscape that brings the future landscape of Thorney Island to life.

    As you’re led along its coastal path, you'll hear how the landscape may sound as it evolves into thriving coastal saltmarsh and mudflats. Listen out for the rich variety of wildlife and bird species that will make this habitat their home.

    This unique audio experience offers a glimpse into the future of the landscape and the diverse natural communities it will support. Alongside these sounds of nature are the familiar, sometimes eerie sounds of human activity, from marina rigging to military operations and aircraft passing overhead.

    Hazel Reeves is an award-winning artist who sculpts with sound, weaving field recordings into immersive soundscapes that tell stories of place, wildlife and ecological change. Her work invites audiences to listen more closely and engage more deeply with the natural world by discovering the unexpected voices of a landscape.

    Listen to our immersive soundscape by visiting our home page and our 'Videos' section.

    Find out more about Hazel’s work here hazelreeves.com]

    We have collaborated with Hazel Reeves, an independent sound artist to create an evocative, immersive soundscape that brings the future landscape of Thorney Island to life.

    As you’re led along its coastal path, you'll hear how the landscape may sound as it evolves into thriving coastal saltmarsh and mudflats. Listen out for the rich variety of wildlife and bird species that will make this habitat their home.

    This unique audio experience offers a glimpse into the future of the landscape and the diverse natural communities it will support. Alongside these sounds of nature are the familiar, sometimes eerie sounds of human activity, from marina rigging to military operations and aircraft passing overhead.

    Hazel Reeves is an award-winning artist who sculpts with sound, weaving field recordings into immersive soundscapes that tell stories of place, wildlife and ecological change. Her work invites audiences to listen more closely and engage more deeply with the natural world by discovering the unexpected voices of a landscape.

    Listen to our immersive soundscape by visiting our home page and our 'Videos' section.

    Find out more about Hazel’s work here hazelreeves.com]

  • The detailed design phase of this project begins

    In May 2026, we kicked off the detailed design phase with a workshop attended by the Environment Agency, our consultants JBA Consulting and contractors VolkerStevin. The detailed design is the stage where surveys, studies and technical work are carried out to develop the proposed design in enough detail to support planning and future construction.

    The workshop was a great opportunity for the project team to meet in person, build relationships and discuss plans for the next two years. Topics included upcoming environmental surveys, further design development, stakeholder engagement and future public exhibitions.

    As the project progresses, the information gathered through surveys and engagement will help shape the design and support the next stages of project development.

    In May 2026, we kicked off the detailed design phase with a workshop attended by the Environment Agency, our consultants JBA Consulting and contractors VolkerStevin. The detailed design is the stage where surveys, studies and technical work are carried out to develop the proposed design in enough detail to support planning and future construction.

    The workshop was a great opportunity for the project team to meet in person, build relationships and discuss plans for the next two years. Topics included upcoming environmental surveys, further design development, stakeholder engagement and future public exhibitions.

    As the project progresses, the information gathered through surveys and engagement will help shape the design and support the next stages of project development.

Page last updated: 11 Nov 2026, 06:37 PM