Work begins next week to extend beach and protect our coastline

A scheme to protect a key part of the city’s coastline from erosion and flooding will enter an exciting new phase next week.

Work is scheduled to begin on Monday 3 August to fill the new groyne field in Hove with thousands of tonnes of shingle.

Taken from a licensed dredging site in the English Channel, the shingle will be pumped between the groynes using a large dredger, about 700m offshore, with support vessels and safety boats protecting the area and assisting.

The new shingle will extend the beach between the King Alfred Leisure Centre and Second Avenue by around 25 metres out to sea.

Helping to protect the area from flooding and coastal erosion, the larger beach will also reduce the amount of shingle washing up onto the promenade, like we see during storms and windy conditions.

The work is scheduled to take around 4 weeks and needs to be done around high tide. During the work, this section of the beach will need to be closed to keep everyone safe.

New groyne field

Work to construct 9 new timber groynes has been taking place since the start of the year.

They’ll become largely buried beneath the replenished beach, with only the upper sections remaining visible.

Read more about the project.

Picture: The new groyne field

Protecting our city

Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, said: “This is a really exciting phase of the scheme. It’s going to be great to see the barge offshore and the new shingle being pumped onto the beach 

“The completed groyne field is going to ensure the homes and businesses here are better protected from climate change, rising sea levels and storms.

“We’ve seen for many years the impact storms can have, with tonnes of shingle washing up onto the promenade. This will help massively to reduce that and keep the prom accessible for everyone.”

Joris Jipping, Project Manager Van Oord said: “We are proud to work alongside Brighton & Hove City Council on a scheme that will make the Hove seafront safer, stronger and better prepared for the future. 

The new groyne field and shingle recharge will not only help reduce flood and erosion risks but also enhance the beach for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Community beach clean

Ahead of the work, the Brighton Marina to River Adur Coastal Defence Scheme project team is partnering with Leave No Trace Brighton to host a community beach clean on Tuesday 28 July from 7:45am.

Members of the public are invited to come along and help out the project team and Leave No Trace volunteers.

Register your place at the beach clean.