Major Design Milestone Reached – 50% Complete

We’re delighted to share that the Shanklin & Yaverland Coastal Defence Scheme has officially reached the 50% Detailed Design milestone.

In simple terms, this means the project has reached the halfway point of the detailed design process. By this stage, the overall approach to protecting the coastline is confirmed, and the main engineering solutions are clearly defined. While some details will still be refined, there is now a shared understanding of what will be built, where, and how it will work.

In January 2026, engineers and key stakeholders from the Environment Agency, JBA Consulting, VolkerStevin and the Isle of Wight Council came together to review progress. The group checked that the emerging designs meet all technical requirements, are realistic to construct, and align with project objectives. Engineering drawings are progressing well, and feedback from this review has helped guide the next phase of work.

Reaching 50% design is an important checkpoint in the project timeline. It allows the team to move forward with greater confidence as we start adding more detail, resolving remaining technical points, and preparing designs for approvals and permissions. The next steps will be to develop the designs further to 80% and then 100%, where everything is fully finalised and ready for construction planning.

This milestone shows that the scheme is moving forward positively and steadily. Thank you to everyone involved for their collaboration and continued hard work in reaching this important stage.