A £10m flood defence scheme from Paulsgrove to Portchester reaches 'impasse' over funding

Work on the scheme was due to begin this year, creating a 15-year protection from freak weather events for properties from Paulsgrove to Portchester.

Both Fareham Borough Council and Portsmouth City Council, alongside the Eastern Solent Coastal Partnership, are working to develop the scheme, which hinged on contributions from a private developer at the Trafalgar Wharf site.

An Environment Agency grant of £5.1m depended on £5.3m from Quadrant Estates, which hopes to build 160 homes and business space along the shoreline.

The flood defences are part of the requisites for the development plans, which are due to appear before the planning committee of Portsmouth council later this year, with

The breakdown in negotiations between the parties was ‘very, very frustrating’, according to councillor Keith Evans, the executive member for planning and development at Fareham Borough Council.

Cllr Evans added that the failure to fund the scheme would have ‘wider implications’ for the whole of Portchester, potentially affecting house building and commercial redevelopment.

He said: ‘It’s very disappointing that the Portchester to Paulsgrove coastal defence scheme is unlikely to be delivered as planned. A great deal of work had gone into planning and designing a scheme that would protect our coastline from flooding and erosion, so that our residents can continue to enjoy these areas in the future.’

Discussions between the organisation are ongoing, according to Councillor Dave Ashmore, Portsmouth City Council’s cabinet member for environment and climate change.

The developer hoped that ‘in time’ the impasse could be resolved.

Christopher Daniel, a founding partner of Quadrant Estates, said: ‘We are clearly disappointed with the outcome having committed significant resources and time to developing the project.

‘However, we have developed a strong working relationship with the relevant stakeholders and hope that in time we shall be able to resolve the impasse and thereby deliver the housing and contribute towards the flood defences.’

A £400,000 contribution from Southern Water towards the project had already been secured.

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