The Environment Agency has submitted a planning application to demolish 3 derelict buildings at Harbour Farm off Embankment Road in Bembridge – a site once at the centre of a high-profile legal dispute.
The application covers the demolition of the main farmhouse with garage, a bailiff’s cottage, and a log cabin. The Environment Agency states that the buildings have been unoccupied for around 12 years and are now in a dangerous state of disrepair, with structural risks heightened during high winds.
The agency, which purchased the 60-acre land in 2011, does not plan to redevelop the site for residential use. Instead, the area will be left to naturally regenerate, supporting the expansion of nearby marshland habitats and the adjoining Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In future, the land is expected to become part of the RSPB’s wider conservation area.
Harbour Farm attracted national attention in 2013 when its then-owners, Kenneth and Gillian Hicks, were forced to abandon the property after a prolonged battle with environmental authorities.
Despite wishing to build a new farmhouse for their family, their plans were ultimately blocked under European rules aimed at protecting the surrounding wildlife habitats. The case was widely reported at the time, with Mr Hicks describing the situation as a disgrace and claiming they were driven off their land by bureaucracy.
The Environment Agency now intends to carry out demolition in a controlled, phased manner. All works will be undertaken in accordance with environmental and health and safety regulations, with dust suppression, ecological oversight, and traffic management in place throughout the process.
The timing of demolition will be coordinated with the RSPB to avoid disturbing overwintering birds.
Subject to approval, demolition is scheduled to begin on 9th February 2026 and be completed by 31st March 2026. The public consultation will end on 28th January.
