Southsea Sea Defences: New playpark on the cards at Southsea Common as part of sea defence revamp

Coastal Partners, which manages sea defences for Hampshire and West Sussex coastlines, has submitted a planning application on behalf of the council for an earth bund, footpath elevation, a floodgate, and the reconfiguration of the Southsea Common play area. Portsmouth City Council is encouraging residents to submit their comments on the plans before the consultation closes on October 4.

Council graphics reveal the new design for the play area, featuring updated slides, swings, a roundabout, and a climbing frame. A raised mound will be added to the centre of the park, with a slide and multiple paths for children to explore.

So far, only one public comment has been received, stating: “My feedback on the initial CGI is that it looks like it is lacking larger climbing features and looks fairly small in size – please can this park be made as big as possible and with things such as a zip wire. Kingston Park play area has some great elements and if this kind of scale and variety can be replicated that would serve the demand this playground gets.”

The application also includes plans for a new earth bund north of the Clarence Esplanade car park, as part of the Southsea Coastal Scheme, which aims to protect 4.5km of coastline from rising sea levels and coastal erosion. Residents can view and comment on the plans using the planning reference 24/00989/FUL.