Repairing the failing seawall at Milford on Sea

The New Forest District Council has committed additional funds to the urgent repairs to the Milford on Sea failing seawall. 

“We are putting forward a further £325k to fund additional urgent works required to the site as a result of recent storms and severe weather, and in addition are setting aside an £300k contingency fund for the project,” said the council.

A £600k contribution from the SRFCC was confirmed in September 2020 towards the immediate urgent works already underway.

They are working with the EA on a further bid for up to £1.2m of in-year funding to offset the costs of the project.

Contractors have been carrying out urgent works to the failing sea wall at Milford on Sea since August 2020. 

The current works are an interim phase, constructing a rock structure of approximately 170m. The goal is to protect the Grade 2 listed White House and reduce risk of further failure of the seawall.

Since work began, severe weather conditions have had an adverse impact on coastline, increasing the costs of the work:

• a further 38m of seawall has failed in area 2;
• behind the failed section of seawall further cliff erosion has resulted in the loss of a section of the cliff top, with 7m of cliff top being lost since the start of the emergency works;
• further cracking and movement have been identified in the seawall towards the White House;
• the beach level has lowered further, resulting in the need for even more rock for the barrier construction;
• the access road to the site has been eroded and needs repair;
• following changes to the seabed an additional specialist vehicle is needed to enable the barge to deliver rock to the beach;
• continuing unsettled weather conditions have also resulted in delays to the rock delivery by sea.