The Hospital of St Cross to present future plans for popular farm and water meadows to dog walkers

Residents who regularly walk their pooches through St Cross farm and water meadows have been asked to keep them on a lead over recent months after lockdown led to a spike in visitors.

Signs posted by the hospital, which owns the land, and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust say it is for the safety of livestock, visitors and the surrounding wildlife.

However, some dog walkers have been left frustrated by the blanket restrictions, with one telling the Chronicle they felt it was 'officious' and that fines had been threatened for non-compliance.

Both the hospital and trust have now moved to clarify their stance by organising a presentation at St Cross Church.

A notice posted on the gates read: "As landowners, the Hospital of St Cross faces many challenges when balancing the management of the grasslands it owns with the pressures of public access. 

The entrance to the Hospital of St Cross farmland (Image: Newsquest)

"During the pandemic the numbers of visitors using the meadows and the number of local dog owners grew dramatically. This increased the impact on this sensitive site, and we had to ask that dogs are kept on leads.

"The presentation aims to cover the management methods required to responsibly maintain such an important, environmentally rich farm and grassland, the success story to date and the future plans."

READ MORE: New Hendog mural appears on doomed building in Winchester

Written questions can be submitted before and during the presentation; these will be answered within the session.

It added: "The Hospital is greatful for the support it receives from the local community and wishes to hear about what this area means to you, how you feel about it, and how you use it.

"We will share our aims and proposed future plan so that all who access the area are aware of the challenges and can help sustain the precious historic landscape."

The meeting will take place on Monday, October 10 at 7pm.