Plans to replace a collapsing and rusting sea wall in Netley which threatens the stability of the flats above have been lodged with Eastleigh Borough Council.

The application states that the existing wall, which retains the slope beneath the Netley Cliff apartments, is structurally compromised, with soil washing out as the tide comes in and out.

Netley Cliff is in Netley Abbey. The sheet pile wall is at the foot of a slope leading to the apartments above.

The application said the current sheet piling had deteriorated significantly since 2020. It has partially collapsed and rusted in places, and the cliff face is being eroded, which is destabilising the cliff and threatens to impact the block of flats.

To mitigate the impact, the applicant said that installing a new steel sheet pile wall immediately in front of the existing one will protect the cliff face from further erosion.

The replacement aims to address the ongoing structural failure of the current sheet pile wall by using a similar product to protect the shoreline from further erosion.

The new steel sheet pile wall will be about 60 meters long and located 300mm seaward of the existing wall. The new wall’s finish level will be about 700mm higher than the original to match the bordering sheet pile wall height at Netley Cliff Sailing Club.

Since the site is situated on the edge of the Solent and Southampton Water Special Protection Area, Ramsar and Lee-on-the-Solent Site of Special Scientific Interest, the development will temporarily impact badgers, great crested newts, dormice, bats, and invertebrates.

Therefore, works will take place between May and September to avoid winter.

Thirty-three residents from Netley Cliff apartments have submitted their comments to the council. Among them is Derek Ide, who has publicly supported the new sea wall on the Eastleigh council planning portal.

He said: “This is extremely urgent work to protect the environment and property. Any delay will result in loss of trees and habitat as the cliff face is washed away.

“Birds do not nest on this beach area and dog walkers discourage wading birds from feeding at low tide.”

Planners have set August 5 as a target date for a decision.