Broadmarsh Revetment Repairs October 2023

Havant Borough Council are carrying out revetment repairs along the foreshore at Broadmarsh Coastal Park in October 2023.

The works will involve replacing a section of the current revetment at high risk with a rock revetment, as well as some patch repairs to existing concrete. These repairs are being undertaken to prevent exposure of historic coastal landfill; avoiding severe consequences to the protected SSSI, SPA, and SAC areas in Langstone Harbour.

Key Information

The works are due to start on site on 16th October 2023 lasting up to three weeks.

The public footpath will be closed throughout the works with an alternative, signposted route around the site (see map below).

The repairs will be carried out on site by our Contractors, Earlcote Construction, who will use a small number of construction vehicles, with work carried out around low tide. Working hours are generally between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday.

Please keep your safety in mind and avoid walking close to construction works.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you in advance for your cooperation throughout the works.

Why is this work necessary?

The revetment at Broadmarsh protects ~501,438 tonnes of historic coastal landfill. Without intervention, the revetment will continue to deteriorate, eventually exposing and allowing the old landfill to spill out onto the foreshore, resulting in severe consequences to the environmentally designated sites within Langstone Harbour. The most vulnerable sections of the revetment are being targeted by this year’s works to avoid a catastrophic failure.

Protection of historic coastal landfill presents a particular challenge as there is no central government funding available to protect these sites. It unfortunately falls to the landowner, which in this case is the council. Havant Borough Council are not alone here, across the Coastal Partners region there are 144 sites (72km of shoreline) at risk. These are estimated to cost £150 - £200 million to protect vs £1 billion to remove. A breach of the defences would damage habitat, and have a high cost of clear up via remediation (estimated at £49M+). Coastal Partners have been lobbying at the highest levels of Defra and Government to raise attention to this issue, and Defra has commissioned a review into this issue. 

If you have any questions about this project or issue to report, please contact the Coastal Partners Team at: 023 92466 332 or email coastal.team@havant.gov.uk