Parking at a popular beauty spot is to be closed from next week after “a significant increase in anti-social and abusive behaviour”.

Chilbolton Parish Council announced that they would be closing the gravel parking area at Chilbolton Cow Common for the summer from July 24 after saying that the biodiversity of the area is “under huge threat” from people visiting the site.

In a statement to the Advertiser, a spokesperson for the council said: “It is with great reluctance that Chilbolton Parish Council have taken the decision to close the gravel area used for parking on Cow Common.

“Whilst the parish council welcome people to come and enjoy the beautiful common, sadly it has become a ‘destination’ for picnickers, large groups and people swimming and playing, often with inflatables and body boards, in the river and late night drinking and camping have also become an issue. There has been a significant increase in anti-social and abusive behaviour, and on two instances this resulted in the police having to be called.

“Wild swimmers have been climbing the fence at the Long Bridge to enter the river. The fragile biodiversity of the whole area is under huge threat and can take years to recover and the destruction of the area and the impact to wildlife has become untenable, a balance needs to be found. Various agencies are advising the parish council on how this can be achieved.”

The common, owned and managed by Chilbolton Parish Council, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which indicates it possesses significant features such as rare species of plants and animals, or geological features, that make it important to preserve.

In this case, it is recognised for supporting “a species-rich and ecologically diverse flora, the communities of the flood plain marsh being particularly important, with many exacting species now rare or scarce through habitat loss.”

However, over the years, there has been concern over the treatment of the common by visitors.

In 2020, signage was put up to dissuade visitors from anti-social behaviour on the common, including signs asking them to treat the area with respect and not to “urinate or defecate on our common”.

However, there was criticism of the management of the reserve by residents, who described the signage as “one of the most shocking things” they had ever seen, and reminiscent of an “East German park”.

The current changes will see the parking area closed, which the parish council hopes will alleviate pressure on Joys Lane, with residents being blocked in by parked cars along the single track road. This has caused concern over emergency service access to the properties.

The council says that the situation will be reviewed in the autumn, with parking at West Down in the meantime, and a waymarked route to the common. The council hopes to encourage visitors to stop in on local businesses en route.

In the meantime, they have appealed for residents, especially young people, to become involved with managing the common, with the possibility of introducing a ranger. Anyone interested is asked to contact: Chilbolton.clerk@hotmail.co.uk