Selsey Coastal Defences

January 2024

The feasibility assessment looking at Selsey’s Coastal Defences stated in the October 2023 update has now been carried out. Next steps and recommendations are now being prepared for the Chichester District full council meeting in January 2024.

October 2023

The Selsey Peninsula is an exposed coastline with a long history of coastal flood and erosion risk. Before the construction of the existing seawalls in the 1950’s Selsey had one of the fastest-eroding coastlines in England. Hard-engineered defences were built to reduce the risk to Selsey from both tidal flooding and erosion. As these defences are reaching the end of their life, repair and maintenance is becoming more frequent and costly. Work is progressing on a feasibility assessment looking at Selsey’s Coastal Defences. Preliminary work has looked at the risks, responsibilities and benefits of a scheme and also the challenges in managing the current aging seawalls. The information will be used to inform a detailed business case to support a funding application for the next stage of option appraisal and outline design. As we head towards the winter the Residents are encouraged to find out how they can help to protect against flooding. This includes signing up for flood warnings: www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings. An article on this will be included in the winter issue of the council’s ‘initiatives’ magazine. Find out more here Protecting Yourself Against Flooding — Coastal Partners and from our FAQs.

January 2023

Work to replenish the shingle at Selsey is due to begin on Tuesday 10th January and will last for up to 4 weeks. The shingle beach at Selsey is the main defence against coastal flooding and erosion and each year shingle replacement work helps to bolster the defences in the event of potential storms. Please see the new article at the bottom of this page for more detailed information.

September 2022

During September 2022 maintenance will be carried out on the timber structures along Selsey. Chichester District Council’s Framework Contractor JT Mackley’s will be carrying out repairs to a number of timber groynes along the East Beach frontage. The works are designed to improve retention of beach material, which will bolster the level of protection during the upcoming winter months, and beyond. The work will include the encasement of steel sheet pile sections of the timber groynes.

During these works you may see a small number of construction vehicles on the beach and lower foreshore but the beach will remain open to the public at all times.