NORTH Somerset Council now owns Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve.

The council has taken legal ownership of the reserve, which is located on the outskirts of Portishead. It is hoped that the council can continue to protect the land.

Cllr Mike Solomon, the council’s executive member responsible for parks and open spaces, said: “This is a really significant day for the reserve and everyone who values it.

"It has been a long and complicated process to reach this point, so it’s with great pleasure that we share this news today.

"My great thanks to everyone who has helped us reach this point and to the many people who give their time to support the conservation of the wildlife and ecology of the site.”

The council has managed the 150 acre site alongside volunteer groups it has set up and the Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve since 2015.

One of the first things the council has done since taking ownership was writing to residents who live near the site to tell them they no longer need to pay a levy.

The levy was first introduced to help a management company fund the management of the reserve.

The transfer of ownership of the nature reserve removes nearby properties from any future liabilities for levy payments. 

The Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve website reads: "This is a 150 acre nature reserve on the edge of the Severn Estuary between Portishead and Royal Portbury Dock. 

"It was in 2008 that Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve was first conceived to offset the impact of building 2500 new houses in Portishead.

"Nestled between housing on one side and industry on the other it is a crucial green buffer. It gives people access to green spaces and provides a vital haven for wildlife.

"It is also a safe route for wildlife moving between the Severn Estuary and the important reserves of the Gordano Valley.

"Some of the species here are of great conservation concern as nationally numbers are falling.

"So it is important to safeguard and encourage these species.  We can help through careful land management but also by allowing wildlife to feed and rest undisturbed."