Work on new £100m Southsea sea defences to start

CONSTRUCTION work on £100m sea defences to protect Portsmouth from rising sea levels is finally due to start after seven years of planning.
Visualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City CouncilVisualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
Visualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City Council

The Southsea Coastal Scheme is set to get underway on September 7, with phase one of six starting between Long Curtain Moat and Clarence Pier where old defences will be replaced.

The first phase could take up to 18 months to complete, during which time the Clarence Pier car park will be closed. Parts of the footpath from the saluting platform across Long Curtain Moat will also close, with a diversion in place.

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Sea defence scheme awarded £100m from government
Visualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City CouncilVisualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
Visualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
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Councillor Hugh Mason, cabinet member for planning policy at Portsmouth City Council, said: ‘History shows that Southsea has suffered from extreme weather, causing seafront damage and flooding in the past.

'As our flood defences are ageing, this project is essential if people are to be kept safe.

‘I'm pleased to see works finally getting underway and, while there may be temporary inconvenience, our community will ultimately benefit from the enhanced protection the new coastal defences will offer.’

The project was given the green light in February after being awarded nearly £100m of government funding to the project.

Visualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City CouncilVisualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
Visualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
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Earlier this year part of the existing defences – near the naval memorial in Southsea – required repair work due to storm damage.

Deputy council leader Cllr Steve Pitt is hopeful the scheme could aid the city’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

‘After a trying start to 2020, it's heartening to see Portsmouth moving forwards with a project that will bring numerous economic benefits to the area, from job creation to tourism,’ he said.

‘But of course, the economic gains go hand-in-hand with the main benefit to the local community which is the protection we will all gain from mitigating the risk of coastal flooding in years to come.’

Visualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City CouncilVisualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
Visualisations of how the sea defence work in Southsea could look. Picture: Portsmouth City Council
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The scheme will directly protect more than 4,000 residential and 700 non-residential properties from the risk of coastal flooding, and will upgrade the defences from Long Curtain Moat to Eastney.

VSBW, a partnership between VolkerStevin and Boskalis Westminster, was appointed as the main contractor for the scheme last year.

Detailed designs for other phases of the scheme are still being developed and are open to public comment.

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