Warm weather always reminds you just how nice it is to be by the beach. There’s nothing quite like strolling along the seaside, ice cream in hand, listening to the waves crashing in, but it can be pretty hard to find somewhere beachside to sit when the sun’s out. For residents of Portsmouth, however, that problem is in the process of being solved.
Southsea, a gorgeous pebbly beach on the Portsmouth coast – which we firmly believe is one of the city’s greatest assets – is set to double in size by next year. Don’t worry, this isn’t secretly the result of climate change or a sign that the ‘end is nigh’, it’s actually being done intentionally by the local authority.
Although this will undoubtedly mean more people can enjoy the beach, it’s only a small part of the ‘Southsea Coastal Scheme’, a wider project whose primary goal is to reduce flooding risk for more than 10,500 homes and businesses based near the shore. All in, this will cost a whopping £180 million.
A spokesperson for the scheme said that extending a two mile stretch of the beach will involve adding over 1 million tonnes of shingle to the coastline, a material which is ‘great at absorbing wave energy which in turn helps reduce erosion and protects homes and businesses from coastal flooding’.
The shingle which is to be used has been dredged from nearby British shores including on the Isle of Wight and the Scilly Isles, so it’s all being done in a very environmentally friendly fashion.
The specific part that is seeing this extension begins at the Coffee Cup café in Eastney and runs all the way down the shore to the Pyramids activity centre. Works will begin this October at the Coffee Cup, moving westward and eventually finishing next March if all goes to plan. Annoyingly, the entire stretch will need to close at first, but it will open back up incrementally when small sections are completed.
If ever there comes a time when Southsea is at risk of flooding, the shingle will be easy to top up. Project Executive Marc Bryan explained; ‘the new beach will adapt to rising seas and our changing climate while still providing the required standard of protection… It will be easily maintained and can be topped up if needed in the future’.
As we mentioned, this isn’t the only part of Southsea getting a bit of a refurb; in fact, some legs of the scheme are already complete. Long Curtain Moat received a brand new sea wall, the promenade has been widened, and two new bridges have been constructed. More seating, play areas, and general improvements are set to come, and it’s expected that the entire project will be done before 2030. That’s a pretty exciting way to bring in the new decade.
Here’s the full scale of the extension mapped visually by the council.
Looking for some cracking beaches?
Home or away, we’ve got you covered at Time Out. Here’s our roundup of the best beaches in the UK, and our list of the best beaches in the world if you're looking for sandier shores. We’ve also got a guide for places in the UK that don’t look like the UK, if you want excitement on a budget.
Four British beaches have been named in the 50 best in the world.
Plus: An interactive map has just launched of historic seaside attractions in England.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.