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Coastal protection

Our coastal protection team’s main responsibility is managing tidal flood risk from the sea by maintaining and where possible improving Portsmouth’s sea defences.

Portsmouth is a low-lying maritime city and one of the most densely populated areas in Britain. Some areas are at risk from tidal flooding and wave overtopping and it is important that our defences are well maintained.

The maintenance work is carried out by contractors but is regulated by the team. Typical maintenance work includes: surveys, sea wall repairs, rock armour replacement, steel sheet piling, navigation light and beacon maintenance and beach replenishment.

All work carried out along the coastline must take the environment into account. Portsmouth and Langstone Harbours are of national and international importance to nature conservation and support wintering birds on the intertidal mudflats and saltmarsh.

Future of sea defences

With sea levels anticipated to rise over the next 100 years, we are reducing the tidal flood risk to the city through our Portsea Island Coastal Strategy Study and providing input into the Environment Agency’s Portchester to Emsworth Coastal Defence Strategy.

The council has appointed a specialist consultant to compile the Portsea Island Coastal Strategy Study to build on the East Solent Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) written in 1997. The Portsea Island Coastal Strategy Study will define the SMP policies for Portsmouth’s coastline and ensure that the city’s tidal flood and coastal defences meet the appropriate standards for the next 100 years.

Any schemes identified in this strategy will require the approval from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Environment Agency and the Secretary of State.

Before we submit our proposals we will consult residents, local businesses and other organisations, partners and groups.

Flood risk assessment

If you are writing a flood risk assessment you may find the "Sea defence crest levels" document below.

Contact us

You can:

• email us at coastalprotection@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
• call us on 023 9283 4815
• fax us on 023 9284 1482
• write to us at
  Coastal Protection Team
  Civic Offices
  Guildhall Square
  Portsmouth, PO1 2NG

Associated documents:

  Policy statement on flood and coastal defence  (0.04 MB)
Protecting Portsea Island's coastline - leaflet  (0.53 MB)
Portsea Island Strategic Environmental Appraisal  (1.77 MB)
Portsea Island flood cell map  (1.06 MB)