Southsea Coastal Scheme: I took a walk along part of Southsea Beach that just reopened to the public

As previously reported, the stretch of seafront promenade from Bluereef Aquarium to the Pyramids opened on Friday, May 24, with new seating, gardens and more unveiled to the public. Swing benches, boulder gardens, listening posts and tide pools are among the key features, as as well as the fantastic ‘Theatre of the Sea’ in front of Southsea Castle which is a split-level promenade at the southern-most point of the area with seating looking out into the Solent. Now, the area is connected by the section of Southsea Beach which has been shut for months and recently reopened for the public. Workers are currently attending to the section of promenade running parallel to this part of the beach.

In an update issued today (June 21), a spokesperson for Southsea Coastal Scheme said: “This week we have been backfilling the promenade on Frontage 5 (Pyramids to just past Speakers’ Corner). This is to make the foundations ready for the concrete promenade slabs to be poured here. We are raising the level of the promenade on Frontage 5 by an average of approximately 750mm from the old promenade height. Recycled crushed concrete from the old sea defences makes up the bottom layer and this is then covered in Type 1 crushed material. Once the material is deposited, a bulldozer spreads the material out evenly. A roller is then used to compact the material so it is dense and flat, ready for the concrete to be poured on top. The concrete will start to be poured in two weeks time.”

Watch the video embedded in the story to see what Southsea Beach looks like now.