A quay wall is at an advanced state of disrepair and could be at risk of failure. The condition of the structure near the Red Funnel terminal in Southampton has led to the operator taking action.
Proposals to address the deteriorating sheet pile wall around Terminal 1 have been submitted to Southampton City Council.
Wall has exceeded its design life
A planning and access statement prepared by Haskoning on behalf of Red Funnel Ltd said,
“The quay wall is in an advanced state of disrepair with extensive corrosion and loss of steel sections evident throughout the structure.
“Owing to the observed condition, the wall is considered to have exceeded its intended design life and is no longer capable of functioning as originally intended.
“Furthermore, the wall is likely to be at risk of failure if subjected to the loads for which it was originally designed.”
Dredging and revetment work planned
If the planning application is approved and marine licence is secured, a new 170 metre revetment will be placed against the sea wall.
The project involves dredging up to 3,000 cubic metres in the area and installing the quarry stone structure with a total weight of up to 25,000 tonnes.
The work, which will take around 25 weeks, will not be table to take place from land due to the wall’s condition and the continued use of the ferry service.
Terminal plays ‘crucial part’ in ferry operations
Terminal 1 is leased to Red Funnel and is described as playing a “crucial part” in the operation of the port and ferries.
The planning statement added,
“It is clear, based on previous inspection work undertaken to date, that the quay wall requires immediate remediation and, or, reinforcement to support the terminal buildings and associated infrastructure, and to maintain ferry operations.
“The existing quay wall is approximately 175 metres long and is thought to have been constructed in the 1960s.”
A public consultation on the planning application is open until 22nd June 2026.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which OnTheWight is part of. Read here to find about more about how that scheme works on the Island. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
