Coastal defence improvements for Hayling beach

The £5m contract involves coastal defence work at Eastoke Point, east of Portsmouth UK. Beach levels along much of the Eastoke Peninsula are managed effectively through a Beach Management Plan known as ‘Hold the Line’ for the entire Hayling open coast. Around 400 properties are at risk, however, from flooding and erosion in a highly dynamic section of coastline becoming increasingly difficult to maintain and manage. In 2009, Havant Borough Council commissioned HR Wallingford to undertake the Eastoke Point Coastal Defence Study following which the Environment Agency has given technical approval for the work.

Following consideration of seven options presented by the study, the selected solution involves groyne replacement or improvement together with maintenance, rock revetment installation and maintenance, improvement or installation along with maintenance of a splash wall, beach recharge, recycling and management.

The rock revetment will comprise 650m of rock armour imported directly to the beach by sea by Stema Shipping, specialists in handling, transportation and delivery of armour stone for coastal protection work. The beach level in front of the new rock structures will be raised with 35,000 tonnes of new imported beach material. Three new groynes will replace four old dilapidated timber groynes and the life of the splash wall at the back of the promenade will be extended through refurbishment, including new surface coating. Completion of the work will provide a 1 in 200 year standard of flood protection to more than 1,700 properties, along with protection to habitats within the Sandy Point nature reserve.

Raymond Brown Construction managing director Guy Hardacre said: “Raymond Brown is delighted to have been selected by Havant Borough Council to undertake these works. This is a high profile project which strengthens our position as a key contractor in the coastal and maritime engineering sector”.