Decision details

To address public health and safety concerns as a result of ongoing coastal erosion of the historical landfill site at Alton Grove to Cador Drive.

Since October 2022, our coastal Partners team has been identifying long-term options for addressing coastal flood and erosion risk along the stretch of the Portchester shoreline from Alton Grove to Cador Drive, in collaboration with engineering consultants AECOM, through the Fareham Quay and Alton Grove to Cador Drive Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Studies.  Completion of these studies is expected in Summer 2025, by which point significant funding would need to be secured for detailed design and construction of any future scheme. This work is being monitored regularly by the Executive Member for Planning and Development and the Climate Change Scrutiny Panel.

The ongoing coastal erosion is leading to historic landfill materials being exposed.  Until a permanent solution is in place, any public risks presented by the site need to be managed and, where necessary, mitigated.  The risks at this site have been comprehensively assessed and mitigation, in terms of enhanced periodic multi-disciplinary inspections, litter picking, dynamic remedial action and a clear escalation process, is proposed.

RESOLVED that the Executive agrees that:

(a)  the proposals for an enhanced inspection and management regime at this site be supported;

(b)  risk assessments be undertaken for the historic landfill sites at Salterns and Harbour View; and

(c)  the potential to also contain the landfill waste and reduce any risks to the public and the wider environment be considered carefully when the outline designs and preliminary cost estimates for a future coastal management scheme are reported to the Executive later in the year.