PHASE 1-5

RESPECTING AND PROTECTING THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

Portsmouth City Council is committed to creating a greener and healthier city for all residents with an updated greening strategy. In conjunction with the aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, Portsmouth will develop into a climate resilient, healthy, active city. We will work to achieve cleaner air and cooler streets with access to green space for health, wellbeing and connecting with nature within easy walking distance of all resident’s homes.

Building new sea defences around the island has an inevitable effect on the environment. As part of our work, we are dedicated to protect and encourage wildlife and improve green areas where possible.

WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR

ECOFORMLINER WALL

When looking at the seaward side of the wall along Eastern road, you will discover and interesting texture, different to the usual flat surface you would see on a concrete wall. This texture has been specifically created to provide shelter and to shade and retain moisture to allow marine plants and animals to take hold and establish new habitats.

BEE POSTS

Our Bee Posts offer a nesting site for solitary bees which helps to boost pollination, support Bee populations and increase biodiversity.

TIDAL POOLS

Designed to mimic naturally occurring rock pools, tide pools retain water and protect small animals by giving them a safe shelter. There is usually plenty of food in a tide pool, with all kinds of organisms living in a small amount of space.

SALTMARSH RESTORATION USING BESE GRID

Biodegradable Elements for Starting Ecosystems (BESE) grids were used in phase 3 of the North Portsea Coastal Scheme, acting as a temporary structure to start ecosystem restoration. The grids are made entirely out of a waste product, potato starch, and give damaged ecosystems the structure needed to support the colonising and growth of saltmarsh plants.

TREE PLANTING AND WILDFLOWER AREAS

Many trees, areas of grassland and coastal wildflowers have been added to all the areas of the North Portsea Coastal Scheme.

COCKLESHELL ISLAND

A new high-tide roosting site for overwintering birds was installed as part of the work at phase 4. Langstone Harbour is ranked within the top 10 most important places for over-wintering birds in the UK. The island is designed to create a safe, undisturbed place to rest at high tide.

The name of the island is a tribute to the Cockleshell Heroes, a group of Portsmouth based Royal Marines who set off on a daring raid, using Kayaks (nicknamed Cockles) to blow up enemy ships in occupied France.

ENVIRONMENTAL WORK AT PHASE 5

Phase 5

EARLY VEGETATION CLEARANCE AND REPTILE RELOCATION

We know that this area is home to a range of native reptiles, such as slow worms and lizards.

From early summer 2024 the environmental team have been relocating them relocating these from the area in preparation for the new coastal defences being built here.

To ensure the safe relocation of as many reptiles as possible, vegetation (such as shrubs, weeds and grass) have been cut down in stages, to encourage reptiles to move to designated safe zones in the area which will be untouched by construction work.

This work was carried out in June, July and August, ahead of the main work which commenced in September 2024.

The Safe zones are now enclosed by reptile fencing, which will remain in place until the project is completed and our reptile friends can safely roam free again.

Phase 5

PLANS TO MITIGATE THE REMOVAL OF TREES AND SHRUBS INCLUDE

Any trees removed from site clearance and construction works will be replaced with an equal or greater number of appropriate species, sizes and quality.
Introduction of marginal edge solutions in the moats will be implemented where appropriate. These will improve the water quality of the moat and redefine the moat edge, an important historical feature.
Coastal wildflower meadow habitat is to be established on the landward-facing slope of the revetment to increase the biodiversity of the overall structure and provide additional habitat for pollinators.
Scrub planting: Lowland mixed deciduous woodland will be planted, which once established will be suitable nesting and foraging habitats for a range of species.

Phase 5