Brighton council's share of Marina to Adur sea defence cost cut from £11m to £4.5m

Brighton Marina sea wall. Photo: John Lucas / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Brighton and Hove City Council is cutting its own contribution to the Brighton Marina to River Adur sea defence scheme from £11 million to £4.5 million, as the Environment Agency and other partners put in more money.

The change is in a report to the council's Cabinet on 12 November 2026. It does not mean the scheme is getting cheaper. The total cost is forecast to rise to £36.5 million.

The numbers

• Brighton and Hove City Council contribution: from £11m to £4.5m
• Environment Agency grant: from £14m to £25.9m
• Other external contributions: from £1.7m to £6.1m
• Total scheme cost: £26.7m approved to date, now forecast at £36.5m

Phase 3

The report also recommends an open procurement process for Phase 3 construction, with an estimated contract value of about £13.5 million. Phase 3 is mainly around Shoreham Port, in the Adur and Worthing area, rather than in Brighton and Hove.

What we do not know yet

• When the Phase 3 tender will be published and the contract awarded.
• When the work will start and finish.
• Exactly how much has been spent on earlier phases.

Sources: Cabinet report, Brighton Marina to River Adur Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Scheme; Cabinet decision record.