Plans to improve coastal resilience at Royal Victoria Country Park

The proposal targets the sea wall at the Victoria Road entrance, and will help to protect the main entrance route used by visitors, local residents and the sailing club, maintaining access to the park and its historic Chapel. 

Royal Victoria Country Park welcomes around 450,000 visitors each year and generates approximately £1.4 million in annual income, supporting the day-to-day running of the park and visitor facilities.  

Councillor Nick Adams-King, Leader of Hampshire County Council, said: "Royal Victoria Country Park is a much-loved destination for residents and visitors, as well as an important heritage site. By focusing investment where it can make the most difference, we can help protect access to the park and continue caring for one of Hampshire's most valued outdoor spaces, which plays such an important role in the health and wellbeing of our communities. 

“At a time when councils must carefully prioritise spending, I will be considering whether investing in targeted repairs now could help avoid greater costs and disruption in the future.” 
 
The proposal targets repairs to the sea wall at the Victoria Road entrance where the 75-year-old steel and concrete wall has deteriorated over time due to coastal erosion and storm damage.  It will be considered at the next Corporate Services Decision Day on 22 October . 

If approved, the scheme would see around 15 metres of the existing wall repaired and a new 71-metre inland defence constructed, creating a more resilient line of protection against coastal erosion.  

Separate investment is currently funding a programme of structural repairs and conservation work at the Chapel, the last surviving part of the former Royal Victoria Military Hospital, helping to safeguard this important landmark for the future.