Southsea coastal defences £100m funding approved

Plans for major new coastal defences in Southsea have been given the green light as government awarded nearly £100m of funding to the project.Now VSBW, a joint venture between VolkerStevin and Boskalis Westminster, can start work later this year on 4.5km of coastline from the Long Curtain Moat in the west to the Eastney Battery in the east.Present plans will split the works into half a dozen phases to be delivered over eight years.Phase one works will be between Long Curtain Moat and Clarence PierFunding was the final hurdle the Portsmouth City Council project had to overcome.The project team has worked closely with the Environment Agency to secure approval, despite unprecedented demands placed upon central government finances at this time.Once finished, the scheme will protect over 10,000 residential and 700 non-residential properties in Southsea from coastal flooding.The first phase of work to start will be between Long Curtain Moat and Clarence Pier, while detailed designs for other sections are being developed.