Shingle piped ashore as part of sea defence scheme

The work started on Tuesday and is being carried out round the clock for about 30 days

One million tonnes of shingle are being pumped on to a beach from a dredging vessel as part of an ongoing flood defence scheme.

The shingle, to strengthen sea defences in Southsea as part of the Southsea Coastal Scheme, will make the beach twice as wide and help absorb wave energy to prevent waves overtopping during storms.

The promenade and the beach from South Parade Pier to the Southsea Beach Cafe has been fenced of while the shingle is added.

The work started on Tuesday and is being carried out round the clock for about 30 days. After the shingle has been pumped ashore in piles, it will be moved along the beach using dumpers and moved into place using bulldozers and diggers.

Part of the beach has been fenced off while the shingle is pumped from a dredger and spread out

Southsea Coastal Scheme said: "The shingle comes from licensed dredging zones southeast of the Isle of Wight, selected to avoid sensitive habitats.

"It may appear darker than normal but the beach will look the same once complete."

The fencing is expected to remain in place until mid-to-late December. The beach then will reopen section-by-section, starting at the Coffee Cup.

Phase one of six of the £180m scheme started in September 2020. It is due to be completed in 2028.

The £180m project has involved building walls, raising land and widening beaches along a 2.8-mile (4.5km) stretch of coastline from Old Portsmouth to Eastney.

It aims to reduce the risk of flooding to more than 10,000 homes and 700 businesses from rising sea levels.