Updated: March 2026

Fareham Quay and Alton Grove to Cador Drive (Portchester)

The Fareham Coastal Defence Study, undertaken by Coastal Partners, as Fareham Borough Council’s coastal engineers, identified long term coastal management options to address future tidal flood and coastal erosion risk to both property and historic landfill, in light of climate change, along the Fareham Quay and Salterns Recreation Ground frontage, and along the Portchester Shoreline between Alton Grove and Cador Drive.

Following completion of the Study a Position Statement has been prepared. This sets out the findings of the Study, the current roles and responsibilities of key partners in relation to ongoing coastal management, potential future scenarios for the management of each frontage, alongside the future risks and uncertainties.

Introducing the Fareham Coastal Defence Study

Where?

The Fareham Coastal Defence Study focused on two sections of coastline in the north of Portsmouth Harbour as shown in the map below.

The Fareham Quay study area extends south from Fareham Quay and includes the Salterns Recreation Ground. The study area overlaps with the Town Quay Conservation Area. 

The study also focused on a section of shore between Alton Grove and Cador Drive, Portchester, and includes the Harbour View Road Recreation area.

Why?

Alton Grove to Cador Drive (Portchester)

Harbour View Road Recreation Ground is defended partly by a section of sea wall which is now in poor condition, with the remaining areas undefended. There is also a section of poor condition concrete sandbag wall. Landfill activities have been identified from historical operations on the site from as early as 1932. The frontage was identified as a ‘high-risk’ legacy coastal landfill site as part of the River Hamble to Portchester Strategy (RHPS) (2015). Most of this area is undefended and is subject to erosion.

Given the exposure to the prevailing south and south westerly winds, the frontage is susceptible to wave overtopping when strong winds combine with high tidal conditions. During an extreme tidal event, without defences in place, properties are at flood risk today, with the risk increasing over time with sea level rise.

Fareham Quay

The majority of Great Salterns Recreation Ground is a former coastal landfill site which lies immediately behind the seawall. Landfill activities have been identified from historical operations on the site from as early as 1932. The frontage was identified as a ‘medium risk’ legacy coastal landfill site as part of the RHPS. This area is currently defended by a poor condition masonry block wall which provides erosion protection.

The frontage is tidally dominated, relatively sheltered, but subject to wind driven waves. During an extreme tidal event, without defences in place properties are at flood risk today, with the risk increasing over time with sea level rise.

Both Frontages

The impacts of climate change are likely to exacerbate flood and erosion risk in the future.

Across both frontages, a significant number of properties (400) are at risk of an extreme tidal flood event during the next 100 years.

Sea defence damage and failures present an on-going and increasing risk. At both sites, sections of the sea wall are in a very poor condition. Continued deterioration of the existing defences threatens to expose the historic coastal landfill behind and places both sites at increasing risk of flooding and erosion, which may result in the unknown contents of the landfill spilling out into the internationally environmentally designated Portsmouth Harbour. Both coastal frontages and existing defences are owned and maintained by Fareham Borough Council (FBC) and are now reaching the end of their serviceable life.

The 2017 SCOPAC Coastal Landfill Study, identified both areas as key sites to protect from flooding and erosion given the level of risk posed by former legacy coastal landfill in these locations. Alternative options such as landfill remediation or removal were shown to be unaffordable.

How?

Coastal Partners as part of FBC, supported by engineering consultancy AECOM, worked in partnership to deliver this Study.

The Study was funded by Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (SRFCC) Local Levy.

What?

The Study is the first step towards delivery of a capital scheme.

The primary objective of the study is to identify a leading option that aligns with the River Hamble to Portchester Strategy, addresses climate change, tidal flood risk and coastal erosion risk to both property and historic landfill whilst delivering the maximum Standard of Protection possible.

The study followed the latest Environment Agency (EA) Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Appraisal Guidance. A longlist of recommended defence measures were developed and appraised, generating a shortlist of feasible options. Further economic, environmental and carbon appraisal was undertaken to help identify a leading option at each location.

Where do I find out more?

A Position Statement has been prepared by Coastal Partners following the completion of the Fareham Coastal Defence Study. It aims to set out the findings of the Study, the current roles and responsibilities of key partners in relation to ongoing coastal management, potential future scenarios for the management of each site, alongside the residual risks and next steps.