Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Private Sea Defences: Charges

Thursday 19 March 2026 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Josh Babarinde questioned the Minister about reviewing private sea defence charges in Eastbourne.
  • The Minister stated that over 600 million has been invested in coastal protection from April 2024 to March 2026.
  • Sovereign Harbour residents face a 16% increase in annual sea defence charges, a practice established in 1988.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Josh Babarinde Lib Dem Eastbourne
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

No specific background context provided other than the question itself.

Question

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing private sea defence charges.

Answer from Emma Hardy

We are committed to supporting coastal communities, and that is why, between April 2024 and March 2026, over £600 million has been invested in protection from sea flooding, tidal flooding and coastal erosion.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The assessment of reviewing private sea defence charges was not directly addressed.

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Q2 Josh Babarinde Lib Dem Eastbourne
Transport Environment
Context

Residents of Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne face high annual charges for sea defences, which increased by 16% this year. There is poor transparency regarding the reasons behind these increases.

Question

Sovereign Harbour in Eastbourne is the only marina of its kind in Europe; thousands of residents, rather than the Government, have to cover the cost of sea defences through an annual charge. The charge this year increased by 16%—way more than inflation—and there is poor transparency as to why. Will the Minister meet me and representatives of the amazing Sovereign Harbour Residents Association, who are in the Gallery, to hear more about the issues with the harbour charge, and to help us secure a fairer arrangement?

Answer from Emma Hardy

The annual sea defence charge is a legal obligation that was placed on property owners in Sovereign Harbour in 1988, so it was introduced under Thatcher and was unchanged under the coalition. It contributes to the maintenance of the harbour and the sea defences on the south coast between Pevensey Bay and Eastbourne. We spent nearly £5 million this year, and plan to invest over £100 million over the next decade. Of that £5 million, £400,000 comes from the rent charge in 2026-27. We have also secured record funding of £1.4 billion for over 600 flood schemes across all regions in England.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The request for a meeting and securing a fairer arrangement was not directly addressed.

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