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Views sought on Southsea seafront flood defence plans

Portsmouth City Council An artist's impression of planned defences at Long Curtain MoatPortsmouth City Council
An artist's impression of how the planned defences could look at Long Curtain Moat

People are being asked for their views on a planned £114.5m scheme to replace sea defences in Southsea.

Portsmouth City Council wants to renew the existing defences between Old Portsmouth and Eastney, which are up to 100 years old in some places.

The authority said about 8,077 homes and 704 businesses are at risk of flooding without new defences.

If the scheme is approved, work could start in 2019 and would be phased along the seafront, according to the council.

Portsmouth City Council An artist's impression of Southsea CommonPortsmouth City Council
Southsea Common could be fully pedestrianised under the plans, which have gone out for consultation

The council said the defences on the 2.8-mile (4.5km) stretch of seafront are likely to fail within 10 years.

Temporary repairs have been made to plug holes and shore up several collapses in sections of the sea wall.

Work could feature a combination of higher vertical sea walls and some sloped stepped areas with wider promenades, the council said.

It estimated the last section would be completed by 2026.

The consultation on the scheme, which is being partly funded by a £5.9m grant from central government, runs until 5 August.

Work on Portsmouth seafront
Granite boulders were used to plug a hole which opened up behind the Pyramids Centre in Southsea in Christmas 2015