Hengistbury Head is a nationally and internationally renowned landmark in respect of its ecology, archaeology and geology. It covers an area of approximately 162 hectares and is situated at the eastern-most point of the Borough of Bournemouth. It is an integral part of the Christchurch Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that includes the estuarine harbour and Stanpit Marsh LNR in the Borough of Christchurch. As a whole, the Harbour complex forms a unique landscape that is a haven for both people and wildlife in an otherwise predominantly urban setting.

The site attracts approximately 1 million visitors a year and the site managers, Bournemouth Borough Council have long had aspirations for the development of a visitor centre on the site. With the achievement of a Heritage Lottery Fund round 1 pass in June 2009 the project to convert an existing Victorian barn on site to the new centre is now progressing. Heritage & Leisure management, following their assistance in the submission of the HLF round 1 bid, have now been appointed to provide project development and activity planning services for the round 2 development stage of the project with an HLF round 2 submission planned for November 2010.

Further information on Hengistbury Head can be found at http://www.hengistburyhead.org