Work has begun to recycle up to 10,000 cubic metres of shingle at Pagham Beach, near Selsey, after noticeable erosion was observed following storms in December. 

Arun District Council has appointed contractor Les Searle Group to carry out the work. 

The works involve moving shingle with diggers from the ebb delta – where shingle is naturally deposited – and redistributing it along the foreshore at East Front Road to strengthen the beach and help reduce the risk of further erosion.

Pagham Beach is an environmentally sensitive area. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area, a Ramsar wetland site of international importance, and a nature reserve.

The beach is susceptible to change from the tides due to its composition of shingle and clay, which has shifted the coastline over the years.

From 2009, the beach was increasingly prone to erosion due to the growth of the Church Norton shingle spit, changing the shape of the harbour.

Several emergency works were carried out after storms in 2013, 2014 and 2015 left some properties less than 10 metres from the face of the beach.

In 2016, a breach in the shingle spit led to changes in the harbour channel, worsening erosion along East Front Road.

Fifteen properties that are most at risk are now protected by a rock sloped facing.