Lancing Beach Shingle Moved to Strengthen Sea Defences

The Environment Agency has moved nearly 20,000 tonnes of shingle along Lancing beach to strengthen flood defences as Sussex braces for Storm Eowyn this weekend.

Heavy machinery, including bulldozers and dump trucks, were deployed on Wednesday to replenish shingle on the beach, which serves as a vital flood defence for the area. Recent storms, such as Storm Bert in December, caused significant erosion in Lancing, prompting the Environment Agency (EA) to recycle shingle from Shoreham Port and the Local Nature Reserve. The work was carried out in consultation with the Shoreham Port Authority, Adur District Council, and local stakeholders.

The shingle recycling effort is part of a maintenance programme established after a coastal defence scheme was completed in 2005. The EA aims to ensure the beach provides the necessary protection to properties behind it. According to Russell Long, the EA’s operations manager for Solent and South Downs, the shingle beach acts as a “sacrificial sea defence,” absorbing the impact of storms before requiring replenishment. The beach remains open to the public, with EA staff present to ensure safety during operations.

The agency’s annual maintenance involves collecting shingle that accumulates at Shoreham Port and redistributing it to Lancing, where the beach is most vulnerable. Russell Long emphasised that while the process may seem repetitive, it is crucial to preventing flooding and protecting homes along the coast. The work comes as the Met Office issues a yellow weather warning, with Storm Eowyn expected to bring strong winds and potential disruption to the south coast.