Coastal defence scheme at Southsea Seafront From Long Curtain Moat In The West To Eastney Marine Barracks In The East

What was proposed

The application sought to vary the approved plans for sub-frontage 6 of the flood and coastal erosion management scheme.

“The current proposal is an application under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to vary condition 1 (approved plans) of planning permission 25/00910/VOC. This application, under Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, is supported by the original ES and subsequent addendums, with updated ES appendices where relevant in relation to sub-frontage 6.”

“Section 73 can be used to make a material amendment by varying or removing conditions on a planning permission. There is no statutory limit on the degree of change permissible to conditions under s73, but the change must only relate to the conditions and not to the operative part of the permission. An approval under s73 cannot extend the time limit for implementing the consent or the submission of reserved matters, nor can it change the description of the development.”

Officer report

The site and scheme

Sub-frontage 6 extends along Eastney Esplanade and includes the beach, seafront and promenade between South Parade and Eastney Barracks.

“Impact - Intermediate/High 9.15 This proposal relates specifically to 'Sub-Frontage 6' of the scheme which extends along Eastney Esplanade (immediately east of South Parade to the western end of the Eastney Barracks site). It encompasses the beach, seafront, and current promenade across this area.”

“In addition, other alterations have been proposed to the public realm, including soft landscaping and the highway changes to improve cycleway and pedestrian access onto the promenade.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The Development Management Team Leader presented the application to the committee.

Members’ discussion

Members discussed removing the Rock Toe, the road level by South Parade Pier and the improvements to public landscaping and the seafront.

“The Rock Toe, in the original application, was planned to be buried underneath the beach so that if the beach completely eroded it was there to stop the existing sea defences from failing. However, it cost a lot of money and as the existing beach width had to be maintained to maintain the flood protection, the Rock Toe would never be exposed and so it was considered more cost effective to take it out.”

“The road by way of South Parade Pier would not be elevated. The canopy of the pier and the pier itself was listed and there were no proposals to alter the canopy, so the promenade part of the sea defence had to be ramped down to the existing level under the canopy of the pier.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee confirmed that it had considered the environmental information and other material considerations, then granted conditional planning permission.

“The Committee confirmed in their decision that they had taken into account the environmental information as required by Regulation 3(4) of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 (as amended), all matters in the Officer's report including comments received by statutory consultees and other interested parties and all other material considerations; and then:”

Minutes