Sheet piling begins in Southsea

It’s all go on the seafront this week, with the first of the 17.6m long sheet piles being driven into the ground, according to the Southsea Coastal Scheme latest update.

The contractors have commenced steel sheet piling works to provide support for the sea defences construction work.

The works are being undertaken by VolkerGround Engineering from the recently constructed working platform on the beach that was formed from dredged material rainbowed from the hopper dredger Sospan Dau.

The Sospan Dau is expected to return on 14 December to place around 18,000m3 of material to create a second working platform between the Spur Redoubt and the Saluting Platform.

The Southsea Coastal Scheme got underway on 7 September 2020 with the construction of coastal defences between Long Curtain Moat and Clarence Pier.

The first of six phases in the Portsmouth City Council-led project came after some 10 years of planning.

The entire scheme is the UK’s largest coastal defences project, worth more than £100 million.