Coastal protection crews are conducting defensive operations along the Sussex coastline to shield thousands of homes and businesses.

The project covers the stretch from Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne, offering improved flood prevention for over 3,000 structures given escalating sea levels and harsher storms.

The Environment Agency’s seasonal activities include shifting roughly 5,000 cubic metres of shingle – about the same volume as 50 double-decker buses – and putting in place new timber protective features.

The sediment is repositioned along the shore as part of the coastal protection scheme.

Amber Carr, beach manager at Pevensey Bay, said that spring ranks among the busiest times on the shore, and it is wonderful to see the scheme fully underway.

The shingle transfer operations provide a clever way of keeping sediment where it is needed – rather than permitting it to gather at the harbour.

The material is being moved along the coast to where it works best.

The arrival of timber for the new wave screens marks another important step, and the team looks forward to seeing that work develop later in the summer.

This is a dedicated local crew carrying out crucial work to keep coastal communities safe.

The material is moved from Eastbourne to Pevensey Bay to boost beach protections as tides and currents shift it away.

The vessel Sospan Dau sprays shingle onto the shore to top up beach defences.

This year, Pevensey Beach will get roughly 12,000 cubic metres of shingle from different sources.

Moving the material stops it from clogging Sovereign Harbour and strengthens defences across the wider Pevensey Bay area.

Over time, the shingle travels along the coastline and supports protections across the whole stretch.

Crews are also reshaping the shingle using a hybrid bulldozer, cutting fuel usage by around 30 per cent.

More than £8m is being spent on this year’s work through the national flood funding arrangement.

This stage runs until 2027 and focuses on the beach operations required to keep existing defences functioning.

Nick Gray, programme sponsor for major projects in Solent and South Downs, said this represents one of the most substantial coastal flood risk programmes in the country, and the seasonal works mark an important moment in the ongoing commitment to safeguarding communities along the Sussex coast.

The recently confirmed £8 million funding shows the government’s pledge to enhancing coastal protections, and it is gratifying that this is being delivered in a way that is both effective and environmentally conscious – using innovative equipment and local expertise to reduce costs and environmental footprint.

With up to 18,000 properties to protect over the next 100 years, this work really matters.

From 2027 to 2037, the scheme will merge the Eastbourne and Pevensey Bay frontages into one coastal defence system.

The proposals include upgrading existing groynes, then moving to a long-term approach for managing increasing sea levels.

The extended plan comes as sea levels are expected to increase by over one metre by the end of the century.