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Your North Portsea Scheme update
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14 Aug, 2026
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 This summer, specialist contractor Fathom Ecology will plant around 5,500 nursery-grown saltmarsh plants along the coastline at Ports Creek.
The planting will help create valuable habitat for wildlife, stabilise sediment and strengthen the natural resilience of the coastline. But there's more to it than that.
The project has been carefully designed to test different planting methods, including plant species, planting depths, spacing and patterns, to see which approaches work best in this environment. Each area will be monitored over time, allowing the team to compare results and build a better understanding of how saltmarsh can be successfully restored.
The findings will help inform future saltmarsh restoration projects across the Solent and beyond, meaning the work taking place here in North Portsea could influence coastal restoration schemes across the UK.
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Other wildlife-friendly projects are taking place at Ports Creek too. The white columns are bee posts, which will provide nesting spaces for solitary bees once the wildflowers in the area start to establish and attract them. Alongside these are beetle towers, which are partially buried in the ground to create habitat for beetles and other insects living at ground level. There are 42 posts (21 of each) in total across the scheme, spread over 10 locations, and they all face south! This will make the area more welcoming for wildlife.
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In other news we are finally excited to say all our Breedon gravel paths are now complete! Well mostly, there's a bit more to do by the bridge at Peronne Road, but we can't do that until SSE have finished their work. But for the rest of the scheme the paths looking so fresh and once the grass and everything starts to grow, it will be an amazing place go for a walk and maybe even a picnic.
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Last time we showed you this area, it was little more than a few holes in the ground. Now, the first benches have been installed, complete with a Breedon gravel surface around them.
These two benches overlook the moat, offering a peaceful spot to sit and enjoy the view. Just behind them, below the embankment, you'll also find two picnic benches. And these aren't the only ones. More benches have been installed along the route, creating plenty of places to stop, rest and take in the surroundings as you explore the scheme.
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We’ve shown you one of these loggeries (also known as hibernaculums) before, but they are now fully installed at Ports Creek. There are 12 of them in total across the site.
Designed primarily for stag beetles, these structures provide valuable habitat for one of the UK’s largest and most distinctive beetles, whose larvae develop in decaying wood. However, they are also expected to benefit a wide range of other wildlife, including other insects, amphibians and even reptiles looking for shelter.
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Another waytotem post has been installed at Ports Creek, this time featuring a cut-out of a seal. These distinctive posts are dotted along the walkways across the site, helping visitors find their way while highlighting some of the wildlife that calls the area home.
Information panels are also starting to be fitted, providing details about where you are on the site and the habitats, wildlife and points of interest around you. In the last edition, we showed you two of the other waytotem designs, featuring a reptile and a moth.
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And last but not least, we wanted to introduce this cute little cat. He or she spends a lot of time hanging around the fenced-off area by Peronne Road bridge and has become something of a regular visitor to the site. The team are very taken with their furry neighbour and often spot them lounging around in the private area they've clearly claimed as their own.
If this is your cat, do drop us an email at NPCS@portsmouthcc.gov.uk and let us know their name. The team would love to find out a little more about their favourite four-legged visitor!
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 Help reduce the risk of wildfires this summer
The current hot, dry weather means the risk of fire is very high across Portsmouth's green spaces, including Hilsea Lines and Milton Common.
If you're enjoying a picnic, walk or day out, please help protect these important areas by not lighting barbecues, campfires or any naked flames. Make sure cigarettes are fully extinguished and take all litter home with you.
A small spark can quickly start a fire in dry grass and vegetation, putting wildlife, habitats and nearby communities at risk. By taking a few simple precautions, you can help keep Portsmouth's green spaces safe for everyone.
Find Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Service's advice here
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