NPI team makes good progress

The North Portsea Island (NPI) Coastal Defense Project team has made a fantastic start back on site at Phase 4 (Eastern Road) works, reported the Coastal Partners.

From April to September 2021, the team will be busy constructing the first 500m of seawall, rebuilding two slipways along the Eastern Road as part of the North Portsea Island scheme.

The past week has consisted of removing the existing concrete slipway, sheet piling (metal sheets that link together to form a wall), works along the border of the new slipway and along the line of the new sea wall, and concrete pouring for the base of the new slipway and concrete wall.

It is necessary to remove the existing slipway and replace with a new one as the height of the slipway needs to be raised to meet the required defence level.

According to Coastal Partners, every effort is being made to ensure the site is safe for both people and the environment. A silt curtain (a barrier that captures any silt that may arise as work is carried out on the foreshore) has been installed along the frontage to capture any silt from the construction activities. This ensures that water quality is not affected.

Environmental enhancements are also included in the scheme, and work has started on these too. An eco-formliner (a liner used in the preparation of a concrete wall) is being used along some sections of the wall.

Rather than having a smooth surface, the wall will be textured, with some recesses to allow for habitat formation for marine life. This week, the eco-formliner has been prepared on a shutter (a mould that concrete is poured into) ready for the first concrete pour.