As part of this process and before granting planning permission, the Council must now notify the Secretary of State that it proposes to grant permission based on a Habitat Regulation Assessment. The Council will now need to wait for a 21-day period, or for the Secretary of State to notify the Council that it need not wait before granting planning permission.
Councilor Jonathan Hulls, Cabinet Lead for Coastal, Coastal Communities & Local Plan, “This approval takes us one monumental step closer to safeguarding the future of Langstone and securing our borough’s infrastructure. This is not a sudden or unvetted proposal, as the strategy to upgrade Langstone’s defenses was adopted back in 2013, and it’s a fully funded scheme.
“Tidal flood risk to Langstone is escalating due to rising sea levels and more frequent, severe storm events. Without this intervention, the impact on the local landscape and character would be devastating. Existing defenses are failing due to age, leaving homes, heritage, and vital infrastructure exposed to frequent flooding and erosion. This approval is great news all round, and I look forward to this much needed scheme starting main construction”
Scheduled for a main construction start date of April 2027, the £23.6 million scheme will reduce the risk of coastal flooding and erosion along 1km of the Langstone coastline. It will help to keep Langstone and Hayling Island communities connected while supporting resilient and thriving communities across Havant into the future.
Coastal Partners is Havant Borough Council’s dedicated Coastal Team and will continue to lead the delivery of the scheme. Coastal Partners locally have delivered the Eastoke Point Scheme in 2013 and continue to deliver ongoing beach management activities on Hayling seafront throughout the year. Coastal Partners are also delivering the award-winning Southsea Coastal Scheme and North Portsea Coastal Scheme.
The project team has completed the procurement of the project’s construction supplier and is pleased to announce that Jackson Civil Engineering has been appointed as the construction contractor for the delivery of the works. Jackson Civil Engineering brings a wealth of experience and expertise in delivering coastal projects across the UK and has delivered several coastal and flood projects on behalf of the Environment Agency.
Between now and the start of main construction, enabling activities will take place, such as vegetation clearance and the safe relocation of reptiles. Vegetation clearance will initially be limited to the areas of vegetation that overlap with the coastal schemes footprint and where there is potential for the presence of reptile habitats. A staged approach to cutting vegetation will allow reptiles to move from these areas and enable their safe translocation before October, prior to their hibernation period.
Later in the year, there will be wider vegetation clearance works, as well as overnight highways works on the A3023 to enable the contractor’s main compound to be established in the fields north of Langstone High Street.
