Have your say on Gosport flood defence plans

Gosport residents will get the chance to share their opinions on a host of new sea defence schemes.

Plans have outlined new or improved flood defences in Forton, Alverstoke and Seafield – designed to protect homes, businesses and vital structures until 2060.

Residents can see proposed schemes for their local areas, and comment on them, at the following neighbourhood drop-in exhibitions:

• Alverstoke – 17 July, 1pm–6.30pm, at the Scout Activities Centre, Clayhall Road

• Seafield – 20 July, 1pm–6.30pm, at the Discovery Centre, Gosport High Street

• Forton – 25 July, 1pm–6.30pm, at St Vincent College, Mill Lane

The plans have been drawn up for Gosport Borough Council by its coastal engineers at the Eastern Solent Coastal Partnership. Experts from the ESCP will be available to talk to at the events.

Councillor Graham Burgess, chairman of the council’s community board, said: ‘Protecting ourselves from the risk of flooding is one of the most important tasks we have to think about.

‘These schemes are hugely important if you live or work in these areas, or use the coastline in your leisure time.

‘It’s vital that residents see these initial proposals and tell us what they think.’

The proposals have been drawn up using £320,000 from the Environment Agency.

More funding will be needed to construct the schemes, which could cost £2.4m.

If funding is available, work could start in 2019.

For more information, email [email protected] or go to www.escp.org.uk