Hampshire faces growing worries about coastal landfill sites as erosion threatens to spill waste into the sea, prompting urgent action.
Fareham: Councils across the UK, including Hampshire, are dealing with 1,215 coastal landfill sites. These were once seen as okay to have near the sea, but times have changed.
Now, with coastal erosion, many of these sites are getting dangerously close to the water. It’s a real concern that waste could end up in the sea.
At a recent meeting, Fareham’s climate change panel discussed how councils are responsible for these sites, but funding is tight. It’s a tough spot to be in.
Coastal Partners, a group of five councils, is trying to tackle erosion along the Solent coast. However, some landfill sites have old sea defenses that are failing, and others have none at all.
In Fareham, they’re looking at specific sites like Wicor Cams and Portchester Quay. Over in Havant, they’re studying Broadmarsh and Brockhampton.
Mark Stratton from Coastal Partners mentioned that he felt ignored five years ago, but now the government is paying attention. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is gathering information on these issues.
If action isn’t taken, Stratton warned that landfill sites could start eroding into harbors, causing environmental problems. With rising sea levels due to climate change, this could get worse.
He pointed out that funding usually focuses on protecting homes, but he believes it should also consider infrastructure like roads and schools.
“We’re doing our best to make positive changes, even with the limits we face,” he said. “We’re not giving up and are rallying other local authorities to prevent environmental damage.”
During the meeting, Councillor Chrissie Bainbridge shared her personal stake, saying her home is on one of those landfill sites and could be affected in the next century.
She proposed that money from housing developers could be used for coastal landfill projects, emphasizing the need to prioritize nature.
Defra is currently reviewing past and present research on these historic landfill sites to better understand the risks they pose across England. This should help local authorities prioritize actions and find funding.
