Selsey Sea Defences Set For Urgent Repair After Risk Of Structural Failure

Plans to repair and strengthen sea defences at Selsey have been approved amid warnings that a key section of coastal protection could fail within the next few years.

Chichester District Council’s planning committee was told that a 250-metre stretch of defences at West Beach is in a deteriorating condition and may have less than 2.5 years of remaining life.

Officials said steel piles supporting a concrete apron are in poor condition, with corrosion and holes, while the concrete structure itself is cracked and at risk of being undermined by the sea.

If that happens, the defences could fail and put nearby homes and property at risk.

The area has suffered repeated damage in recent years, including storm-related collapse in 2007 and further failures in 2022, despite previous repair work.

The council has applied for Environment Agency Grant in Aid funding to help cover the cost of the latest scheme and expects a decision shortly.

Coastal engineers say the new works will involve stronger, longer steel piles and upgraded marine-grade concrete designed to extend the lifespan of the defences by at least a decade.

Work is expected to take place over the summer and last between 40 and 70 days.

However, officials stressed there can be no absolute guarantee of success due to the exposed coastal environment.

A planning officer said:

"It’s very difficult to say with 100 per cent certainty that it will be successful purely due to the nature of the environment – and we don’t know what storms are going to come.

"We have to do the work. There’s always going to be a level of uncertainty in this environment."