When

The North Solent Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) is adopted, covering an area from Selsey Bill, in the east, and Hurst Spit, in the west, and includes Portsmouth, Langstone and Chichester Harbours. The plan identifies and recommends strategic and sustainable coastal defence policy options for particular lengths of coast to reduce risks to people, the developed and natural environment from flooding.

2010

The Portsea Island Coastal Strategy is approved. The strategy builds on policies set in the North Solent SMP and helps to decide how the coastline surrounding Portsea Island, Portsmouth, Hampshire will be managed for the next 100 years. It concluded that a 'hold the line' policy for Portsea Island is imperative in order to protect the population of the city and its infrastructure from the risk of flooding from the sea.

2011

A consultation on the short list of coastal defence options being proposed for Southsea ran for 8 weeks, from 3rd November 2014 to the 29th December 2014. Nearly 500 people attended the events.

Winter 2014

The public's preferred option of a sloped primary defence, secondary defence set back from the promenade and beach management, was submitted to central government as part of an ‘Outline Business Case’ to unlock £5.9m of funding to develop the designs for new flood defences..

Autumn 2016

Central government approves the outline business case along with £5.9m worth of funding, allowing us develop this concept further into a workable design that takes into account the unique nature of the frontage in Southsea and feedback from seafront users and businesses.

Early summer 2017

Arup, a global leader in the design of green infrastructure projects, supported by specialist consultant, Ramboll are appointed to design the scheme.

Spring 2017

Nearly 700 people attend a series of engagement events held by the team to find out the story behind why this work needs to be carried out, how we got to this stage of the process, and to give us early feedback.

Autumn 2017

We used feedback from public events, along with advice from our statutory stakeholders to create a principal design that encompassed the needs of the seafront and the flood defence. We proposed a range of options including creating pedestrian-only areas and improving road safety.

Early 2018

Further public consultation events and workshops were held regarding the principal design proposals for each area of the Southsea coast. These events were attended by more than 1,700 people.

Summer 2018

The principal design was adapted to take on-board preferences to maintain the roads and to further minimise the defence heights around South Parade Pier and maintain the beach

Autumn 2018

Further public engagement events were held across Portsmouth to show the changes to the designs based on feedback from the public.

February 2019

Public information events are held to address some key themes raised by the public at the February consultation and outline the designs going forward for planning approval.

May 2019

The Planning application for the scheme was submitted to the local planning authority and an independent consultation in accordance with planning regulations was carried out. Statutory and public comments and statements were submitted and considered for the the application

July 2019

A 'full business case' was submitted to unlock funding from central government to build the scheme.

October 2019

The planning application for the Southsea Coastal scheme, as well as all listed items and monuments, was discussed by the planning committee who gave the project the go-head. Public consultations will continue throughout the engineering design of the scheme and final conditions, including material finishes, road layouts and landscaping, will be agreed by planning committee.

December 2019

Frontage 1 - Long Curtain Moat. Work commenced in September 2020 and is due for completion in summer 2022. The site boundary extends from the Saluting Platform to the entrance of Clarence Pier Car Park.

September 2020

Portsmouth City Council formally adopted its Seafront Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (March 2021).

March 2021

Approval from Historic England for the stone to be used at Frontage 1: Granite for the apron and Purbeck Limestone for the wall cladding west of Spur Redoubt.

April 2021

Project Information Centre opens on Pier Road site, Southsea

September 2021

Frontage 4 - Southsea Castle

2022-2024

Frontage 3 - Southsea Common

2024-2025

Frontage 5 - Pyramids to the Pier

2025-2026

Frontage 6 - Canoe Lake

2026-2027

Frontage 2 - Clarence Pier

2027-2028

Project complete.

2028