Stokes Bay Gosport sea defences: Plans to press ahead with £1.2million project is set to be approved

The scheme needs a contractor by February and then has a four-month window to be completed this year as costs could rise again over next winter, the council said. The Stokes Bay Seawall replacement project team will present the latest information at a council meeting on January 11 as it seeks approval for procurement and delivery.Work is needed to restore and rebuild 135 metres of the 1970s collapsed sea defences along Stokes Bay Road and coastline in Gosport and it now has a budget of £1,259.317 million – more than double the initial budget. The report said the project is necessary for reducing flood and erosion risk impacts to important infrastructure, including a local road and addressing long-term and ongoing health and safety risks. It will also see the reinstatement of public amenities, recreation, and access for a strategic open area, as per the Gosport Borough Local Plan, and to improve physical and mental health and wellbeing.

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The report said the funding gap of nearly £760,00 is due to hyperinflation and its impact on the cost of construction materials, fuel, plant hire and labour, along with further damage and deterioration to the existing seawall from Storm Eunice in February 2022. The initial project budget was £500,000 made up of £450,000 from Gosport Borough Council and £50,000 Hampshire County Council. A local levy bill to cover the shortfall of £756,317 was applied for and agreed in October 2023 from the Southern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC).

There could be potential further damage from more adverse winter weather, such as Storm Henk which has just battered the country. The scheme aims to help the economy of the area by encouraging investment, protecting, and improving infrastructure and land use by developing a programme of coastal defences. The new defences are considered necessary to protect against the impact of climate change implications and reduce communities’ risk from a rise in sea level.

The construction stage of the scheme needs to be undertaken between April and September 2024 because of the proximity of the working area to a special protection area. If the work is not done this summer due to difficulties finding a contractor or because of the gap in funding the council documents predict that exposing the damaged seawall to winter weather of 24/25 will only ‘likely increase’ the costs of replacing the sea defences. The documents state that: “Procurement of a contractor to deliver the construction stage of the project in 2024 is a critical path activity and requires a construction tender to be issued in February 2024. “The project team seeks approval to issue an invitation to tender in February 2024 and award a construction contract to the preferred contractor, subject to available funding.” At its meeting next week, Gosport Borough Council is set to give the chief executive authority to evaluate bids from contractors, award the contract and get work underway.