Protecting the Future of North Portsea Island

Protecting the Future of North Portsea Island

The North Portsea Island Scheme covers 8.4km of Portsmouth’s coastline from Tipner through to Milton. Most of the area is low-lying and many of the current coastal defences are approaching the end of their effective lives. Predictions also indicate that sea levels are set to rise by up to a meter over the next 100 years, meaning the flood risk to the area will increase. The new scheme is designed to a 1 in 500 year (plus allowance for climate change to 2100) standard of protection against flooding, reducing the risk of flooding from the sea to over 4,200 homes, 500 businesses, and critical infrastructure including the Eastern Road over the next 100 years.

Engagement with the Public and Stakeholders

In 2014, the government awarded £58m of funding to the North Portsea Island Scheme which will be constructed over the next 10 years.  Construction began in 2015 and is being delivered in five construction phases, with completion programmed in 2025.  The scheme is grant funded by the Environment Agency and is being delivered by Coastal Partners on behalf of Portsmouth City Council.

Working with engineers, ecologists, heritage professionals and with support from the results of the consultation events, preferred coastal defence options for each phase were decided in 2014. This allowed the Scheme to be divided into five phases.

Phase 1 - COMPLETED - Anchorage Park 2015 - 2016: the construction of 1.4km of earth embankment with rock revetment toe completed in 2016 at a cost of c.£5m

Phase 2 - COMPLETED - Milton Common 2016: the construction of 1.5km of a set back earth embankments and rock revetment structure, completed in 2016 at £3m

Phase 3 - COMPLETED - Tipner Lake 2017 - 2019: the construction of 1.9km of a seawall which commenced April 2017 and is programmed for completion by the end of Autumn 2019

Phase 4a & 4b - IN PROGRESS - (a)Eastern Road and (b)Kendall’s Wharf 2019 - 2023: the construction of a seawall with road raising at the entrance to Kendall’s Wharf

Phase 5 – Ports Creek 2024 – 2025: Currently going through a detailed design review which once complete will lead to the procurement of the contractor.