Adur’s Labour council is determined to see the Shoreham flood wall completed.
Under the previous Conservative administration Adur District Council agreed to purchase a strip of land adjacent to the A259 Brighton Road from the Sussex Yacht Club (SYC) to build a flood wall. As part of the deal, the SYC received compensation for the loss of and rebuilding of their new clubhouse. In total, the SYC have received over £3m of public funds to allow ADC to build the flood wall. This was in 2019 but when Labour became the administration last year the wall had still not been built.
Councillor Becky Allinson, cabinet member for regeneration, was asked about the wall at last week’s council meeting. This was her update:
The scheme aims to deliver flood protection with West Sussex County Council installing a new cycle way alongside the northern side of the wall. The added complexity at this site is the presence of Restricted Byways from the road to the river, and our legal (and moral) obligation to keep historic Byways accessible to the public.
Adur District Council successfully secured a planning amendment that enshrined public access to the river and provided the protection to homes and businesses last year which would have allowed construction to proceed subject to Yacht Club agreement.
However last summer, the Sussex Yacht Club submitted a challenge to the location of Restricted Byway 3157 (Stows Hard Gap). They felt that it had been recorded in the wrong location and therefore formally challenged West Sussex County Council on this point.
In December 2024, the County Council Planning & Rights of Way committee agreed with Yacht Club, indicating that Restricted Byway 3157 (Stows Hard Gap) should in fact be 12m wide, and in line with the current Yacht Club entrance. Given our legal obligation to protect public access, the Council had to pause the programme until the legal Byway was defined and therefore could be incorporated into the final design.
The decision is now subject to consultation. This is currently live and scheduled to conclude 6 March. The County Council will then determine how to proceed based on any consultation feedback. Should no oppositions be raised, it is likely that the legal line will be confirmed in May 2025.
Once the byway is officially confirmed, Adur District Council will then be in a position to adjust the designs, undertake a planning amendment, and then proceed with the delivery of the flood defences.
The picture shows where the flood wall will be built.
Once the byway is officially confirmed, Adur District Council will then be in a position to adjust the designs, undertake a planning amendment, and then proceed with the delivery of the flood defences. Councillor Becky Allinson
