Old Portsmouth Strategy

The local strategy, delivered on behalf of Portsmouth City Council, considered the need for additional protection for the low lying development around Old Portsmouth. It provided engineers and decision makers with the information required to plan for future flood risk management of the area and progress a capital scheme to protect the community.

Old Portsmouth contains many historic buildings and is also is heavily developed. It includes private and commercial properties, historic military fortifications and industrial enterprises such as the Isle of Wight ferry terminal and the only fishing quay within Portsmouth Harbour. An up-to-date and strategic defence plan is therefore required to allow continued protection from flooding and erosion.

The 2005 coastal defence scheme at Old Portsmouth included placing rock armour, sea wall improvements and temporary flood barriers. The design was developed in combination with flood inundation modelling, in order to provide a 1 in 200 year level of protection.

More recently, the wider Portsea Island Coastal Strategy has set out the policies for North Portsea Island and Southsea. A ‘hold the line’ policy has been established, however this does not include Old Portsmouth as the most urgent works are required around North Portsea Island and Southsea.