Supporting the old bridge

We are going to be starting work soon to complete the encasement of the bridge abutment next to the slipway. This work will require a small temporary structure at the foot of the abutment to allow the team to complete the concrete encasement works.

Once completed, this end will match the rest of the slipway and provide protection to the bridge abutment.

Working on the living wall

In the last edition, we told you about the Flex MSE wall. These strong but flexible bags are placed along the edge of the path to form a wall that can move slightly with the ground, rather than cracking like concrete.

The bags are made from a permeable geotextile fabric and are filled with a specially engineered mix of sand and organic material, which allows water to drain through while also supporting plant growth. The wall will be around one metre higher than it is at the moment and then the surface will be sprayed with wildflower seed, allowing plants to grow over time so the wall blends into the surrounding landscape and creates new habitat for wildlife. You’ll spot that these walls are also in place just to the west of the railway!

Using a flexible, planted wall like this is a key part of the North Portsea Coastal Scheme’s environmental approach, helping to manage erosion while enhancing the natural look and biodiversity of the area.

People’s Memorial access

The Milton coastal path has recently been closed while Breedon gravel is laid to refresh and improve the surface along the route. The People’s Memorial was closed for a couple of weeks during the initial site set-up for this work but is now accessible again. There are fences along the boundary of the memorial for safety whilst the coastal path is worked on. In the above image the pink line is where the fence is placed, and the red dotted lines is how to access the memorial.

The path is going to be worked on from north to south, with sections re-opening as soon as they’re ready. The final section will be re-opened by the end of June, weather permitting. There will be a period of time between completion of the surfacing being laid and the fencing being removed to open the footpath, this is due to a ‘curing’ time for the Breedon gravel surface to harden. This curing period can be up to two weeks and requires a stretch of good weather. If the footpath is opened prematurely, the surface will be too loose and less durable and will require maintenance sooner.

Map of area

Making it feel like new

Next we will be moving on to Tipner Lake. There are several areas of gravel surfaces which will be refreshed, including the zig-zag paths, areas underneath benches and stepping stones. The main coastal path will remain open to the public for the duration of these works.

Work is due to start here on Wednesday 6 May. Firstly we will create a compound near the allotments to store materials and machinery, and the following week we will start to fence off the paths. The Hilsea Lines pantry will remain open alongside access to the allotments. We will be in this area until July.

As we’ve explained before this will be down to good weather, which is needed to lay the gravel, so keep your fingers crossed for sunshine…if you weren’t doing that anyway.

Again we are sorry for any inconvenience. Thank you for your patience.