Campaign launched to save paths around Langstone Mill Pond after collapse of sea defences

A petition, launched by Margaret Tait, has reached more than 1,800 signatures in a bid to address coastal erosion at the prize beauty spot.

Coastal Partners, a working collaboration between five councils to address coastal erosion across the Solent coast, identified three Victorian sea walls that have collapsed between the pond to Wade Lane. The pathway behind the collapsed defences is used by many locals and visitors - further erosion of the pathway could make the site inaccessible.

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Margaret Tait, 75, who is retired, has lived in Havant nearly all her life, and said that people 'are very concerned' about the condition of the sea walls.

‘I was totally shocked to see the walls in the state that they're in and I thought I’ve got to do something here,' she said.

‘If you look at the petition there are many many comments stating that the walk itself was a lifesaver, it saved the mental health of a great many people during lockdown.

‘There’s not a lot to look at around Havant - it’s all pavements and shops but you can walk down to Langstone.

‘It would be devastating if it was lost, it’s the only countryside walk that people living in Havant can reach easily on foot - It would be tragic, I would cry that’s for sure.

‘There are a lot of people involved - I'm not a Langstone resident but I got involved in this because of my love of Langstone and there are many of us that are the same.’

Coastal Partners says it intends to ‘engage closely’ with interested parties such as the landowner, the Environment Agency, Chichester Harbour Conservancy and Hampshire County Council.

However, the replacement of the defences at Mill Pond was deemed ‘not financially viable’ due to a low level of risk to properties along the frontage.

Havant Borough councillor Lulu Bowerman, cabinet lead for environmental services said: ‘The various statutory agencies involved with this part of Chichester Harbour met this month and explored different options and responsibilities and scheduled a further meeting for next month for additional discussions following more investigations.

'We are aware of the local residents' petition and obvious concerns regarding the sea defences near Wade Lane.

'The affected sea defences are on unregistered land and therefore have no clear owner and as a result, no single organisation that can take control.

'As councillors, we are bringing together all the statutory agencies with local land owners so that a way forward can be reached.'