Southsea Castle promenade set to get new-look promenade in Portsmouth City Council plan

A split-level promenade, including terracing between the upper and lower promenade, is now proposed to replace the existing walkway around Southsea Castle as part of an amended design for section four of the Portsmouth City Council-led Southsea Coastal Scheme

It is thought the new plans will improve the ‘openness and accessibility’ of the area.

The city council’s cabinet member for planning policy and city development, Councillor Hugh Mason, said: ‘The amended design will both enhance the heritage character of the area and also improve the openness and accessibility of the area surrounding the castle.

‘This should improve people's enjoyment of the area by providing improved sea views and better showing the castle itself in its historic setting.’

Rupert Teasdale, the Southsea Coastal Scheme project manager, added: ‘After discussions with the local planning authority, Historic England and our landscape designer LDA, the terraced design was selected as the preferred option because it's got more scope to preserve and enhance the Southsea Castle area.

‘We aim to highlight the area's military significance and historic monument through use of material choices, better accessibility and increased public vantage points.

‘The materials used for the terraces will clearly separate the historic castle and the new promenade, while complementing the existing tones and maintaining the prominence of the monument.’

SEE ALSO: Here’s what work on the new sea defences will look like

A new planning application to amend the originally approved design will be submitted to the council and will be made available for public comment in line with the usual planning application procedures. Details on where to view the planning application will be released when it goes online.

As reported, work for the first section of the project – that will stretch from Old Portsmouth to Eastney – began last year at Long Curtain Moat.

The Southsea Coastal Scheme is the UK's largest local authority-led coastal defences' project, worth more than £100m, and will help to reduce the risk of flooding to more than 10,000 homes and 700 businesses.

It is thought the whole scheme will be completed by the year 2026.

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