Frontage 3
On 21 October 2024, the Southsea Coastal Scheme started work along Frontage 3 (Southsea Common) which stretches from Blue Reef Aquarium to the Hovertravel terminal. The frontage reopened on 2 April 2026.
Key statistics for this area include:
- Volume of rock: 75,000t
- Main carriageway fill: 5000t recycled crushed concrete
- Number of precast units: 536
- Number of promenade slabs: 414
- Beach recharge: 61,000m3 of shingle dredged
- Tide pools: 20 ECONcrete pools and 118 rock munched pools.
THE DESIGN
A combination of stepped and rock revetment is providing the main sea defence here, with a managed beach. A raised embankment with a slope into Southsea Common provides the secondary defence. The promenade and road have been raised to maintain sea views.
A NEW SPACE TO ENJOY THE SEAFRONT
The images show the area between Blue Reef Aquarium and the Naval War Memorial, known as Centenary Place. Picture yourself here, enjoying watching local entertainers while sitting on the new benches and wall. This new area will be a distinctive area of Southsea that is open to numerous possibilities.
The required defence height of the structure in this area has been broken up into stepped levels, featuring coastal planted terraces, play areas and seating. This area of promenade providse a space for events as well as socialising and relaxing. Check out the lighting in the images. You’ll notice the lampposts are curved, as is the seating, to reflect the windswept nature of the seafront.
Lighting has been installed in some of the seating, much like that seen in the area around Long Curtain Moat. The defence along the shore is a 600mm high wall which serves to separate the rock and the promenade, whilst keeping the sea views.
THE NAVAL WAR MEMORIAL
The Naval War Memorial remained accessible throughout our work in this area. We have engaged with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and had their support for the design around this Grade I listed structure.
This image shows the secondary flood defences around the War Memorial.
On either side of the memorial are two angled walls, known as wing walls. These link into a grass bank (bund). The grass bank creates space between the embankment and the memorial and helps protect it from flooding.
The planters and benches in this area have been raised. They are designed so temporary flood gates can be fitted if needed. These flood gates will only be used during very rare, extreme weather events. They have been designed to blend in and have as little visual impact as possible.
The promenade is raised to the same level as the base of the memorial. This means there are no steps, and the area can be accessed easily by everyone.
The road surface in front of the memorial looks different from surrounding areas. It is made from a mix of York stone and granite setts, which are small square stone blocks used for paving.
This change in surface helps highlight the importance of the memorial. There are also two crossing points with dropped kerbs, making it easier for people to cross the road and access the memorial, including wheelchair users, people with buggies, and those with limited mobility.
THE ROCKS
Rock placement began here in early 2024. By completing the rock installation during the early phases of this frontage we were able to leave the road open for around six months longer. The remainder of the rock was placed from October 2024.
THE BEACH NEAR THE HOVERTRAVEL
A full shingle beach will remain between Southsea Beach Café and Hovertravel. Steps from the promenade will provide access to the beach. We have added more shingle to make the beach wider.
To help keep this beach in place, a seeding beach will be created between the Beach Club and the Naval Memorial. This area naturally loses shingle more quickly. As this happens, the shingle will move along the coast to the main beach between the Beach Club and Hovertravel, helping to keep it topped up.
Over time (around 2 to 5 years), the shingle on the seeding beach will reduce as it moves towards the main beach. When needed, more shingle will be added by hand.
There has been very little beach in this area for many years. Bringing in new shingle means there will be more beach than there has been before. From time to time, more shingle will be added to maintain it, so the size of the beach may change slightly between top‑ups.
Year 1
Year 3
Year 5
The design was updated to include rock because this part of the coast is more likely to be affected by erosion.
Without rock in this area, the only alternative would be to create a full beach. This is not practical here because of the local coastal conditions, such as strong waves and tides.
THE PROMENADE
In these images you can see the two buildings along the seafront remaining in place with access provided. The promenade along this stretch is 8m wide in most areas. Running alongside is a 3m wide two-way cycle lane which is separated from car parking by a 2m buffer strip, allowing drivers to safely leave their vehicles when they park for a day at the beach.
Echelon parking is in place here to maximise the number of parking spaces. The road has been raised by around 800mm.
Raising the road to the same height as the promenade means the sea wall will be lower, protecting the sea views for all. A secondary defence is provided by a grass bund that slopes into Southsea Common.
The road has changed to a one-way road, with vehicles able to travel from east to west. The reduced traffic along the seafront will in turn reduce congestion and pollution. To improve safety, the speed limit here has been reduced from 30mph to 20mph.
THE NEW ‘MEMORIAL WALK’
This part of the seafront will be improved to better showcase the Grade II listed memorials, lampposts and shelters.
The memorials will be moved to the centre of the promenade to create a clear memorial walk. Previously, they sat closer to the sea. Moving them inland help protects them from wind, waves and salt spray. It also create more space around each memorial so people can view and visit them more easily.
Placing the memorials more centrally makes them easier to see and reach. This helps people connect with Portsmouth’s history while still enjoying the seafront today.
The area around each memorial has a different surface from the rest of the promenade. It uses York stone, a type of sandstone from Yorkshire. This material has been chosen to reflect the historic character of the area and to help the memorials stand out.
There were six yellow shelters within the Southsea Coastal Scheme area. promenade. Two shelters were positioned in this section, placed the same distance on either side of the War Memorial. The other four shelters are located between the Pyramids and South Parade Pier.
Because the promenade levels were raised, all shelters had to be taken down for the duration of the works and then reinstalled afterwards.
New lighting was installed along the promenade, road and cycle lane to complement the memorials. The existing Grade II listed light columns were refurbished and upgraded to LED lighting. Because of their listed status, the lighting was designed to give off a softer glow. These lights formed part of the memorial walk and helped create a calm, respectful setting.
The promenade surface was finished in exposed aggregate concrete, matching the recently completed area near Clarence Pier. This created a consistent, high‑quality and durable finish along the seafront.
Recent progress
