Southsea Coastal Scheme update

Having trouble seeing this email? View in browser
Southsea Coastal Scheme

Happy December!

2 December 2023

Connecting places

Out with the old…

Rubble of old prom

We're constructing in the area next to Blue Reef Aquarium to allow ease of access to our Southsea Castle frontage, once opened. The old sea defence wall is now demolished and we've placed rocks along the line of the old wall to act as a temporary defence while we build around it.

We've also been busy on the seaward side making a temporary haul road out of beach material and rock. This haul road is for our machinery to travel up and down as a temporary working platform and to give us access the stockpile of rocks we've been storing which will be used in this small section and the rest of frontage three (Southsea Common) when we begin construction between Blue Reef Aquarium and Hovertravel towards the end of next year.

Frontage 4 - Southsea Castle

We’re on the home straight!

Lighting tubes

We've now completed all of the coastal engineering on frontage four (Southsea Castle). The sea defences in this section are now fully functional. A fantastic milestone!

Over the next few months we'll be building all of the parts you will enjoy – the street furniture, the lighting, the flower beds and all of the finishing touches to make sure you can enjoy your ice creams here next summer!

Frontage 4 - Southsea Castle

A blinding performance

Concrete slab and steps

We've continued to form the slope for the steps that will connect the promenade to the beach. A bay of blinding will be poured along the top of the slope for each unit (as pictured). Blinding is a base layer of concrete which provides a clean level surface for whatever is placed onto it. The top of the stepped units will lie on top of the blinding.

The wooden ‘props’ you can see here are there to support the frame for the blinding concrete to make sure it stays in place until the concrete has set.

Frontage 5 - Pyramids to Speakers' Corner

It’s ‘T’ time!

Concrete slab lifted by crane

Our crane has been busy lifting this week as the first lot of pre-cast concrete ‘T’ wall units have arrived. These units are made to measure and will be making up the wall which will be at the back of Speakers' Corner. The upside down ‘T’ shape means that material placed over the top of the base will anchor the walls into place, making them nice and strong!

Sign up here