WIREDGOV

Construction of a multi-million pound scheme to protect thousands of homes and businesses in Hull from flooding from the Humber has been given the go ahead.

The £42 million flood alleviation scheme, approved by Hull’s planning committee earlier this month on the fifth anniversary of the tidal surge that caused devastation to the city, has now had final sign off from the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Led by the Environment Agency, the Humber Hull Frontage Improvement Scheme will upgrade tidal flood defences at eight locations along the estuary foreshore, including at St Andrew’s Quay and Victoria Dock Village.

The defences will provide a 1 in 200 year standard of protection and will reduce tidal risk for 113,000 homes and businesses.

It will see more than 7 kilometres of tidal flood defences along the Humber estuary improved.

The design of the flood defences will include some areas of glass panels to maintain a view of the waterfront and recessed sections to display artistic works.

Opportunities for public art and community involvement will also be integrated into the scheme, at areas including Victoria Dock Village and St Andrew’s Quay Retail park.

Computer model of flood defence scheme proposed for Victoria Dock Village East

Now that the planning application has been approved, preliminary work is due to start at St Andrew’s Quay Retail Park early this year.

Floods Minister Thérèse Coffey yesterday said:

I am delighted that the owners of 113,000 homes and businesses in and around Hull will benefit from a fully government funded flood defence improvements which will help for many decades to come.

This new flood defence scheme costing £42 million from taxpayers’ money has been well supported by the City Council and a number of other key partners, showing what can be achieved when we work together towards a common goal.

Helen Tattersdale, Project Manager at the Environment Agency yesterday said:

We are delighted that the Humber Hull Frontages scheme has been given final approval and look forward to making progress on the ground early in the New Year.

This £42 million investment is great news for the city as it will allow us to better protect thousands of homes and businesses. We will continue to keep residents and businesses affected by our work informed about the scheme at every stage of its development.

This £42m investment links to a further £16m investment in tidal flood defences either side of Hull at Paull and Hessle, which is being delivered by East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Councillor Daren Hale, portfolio holder for flood prevention at Hull City Council, yesterday said:

We welcome the final decision made by the Secretary of State, and I am pleased he was able to see the value in how important these flood defences are for our city.

We look forward to seeing the work start on site, and the additional benefits it will deliver for residents and businesses in the area, including brand new public art and a fantastic outdoor green space.

The scheme will be delivered by contractor BMM JV – a joint venture between BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald - and is expected to be completed by March 2021.

Allan Rogers, framework director for BMMJV yesterday said:

Having a role in this significant flood alleviation scheme is inspiring for our teams. We are delighted to be at the heart of the design and efficient delivery of schemes through water engineering and management (WEM), and contributing to the Environment Agency’s target of protecting homes and business’ across England.

Both the Humber Hull Frontage and work by East Riding of Yorkshire Council at Hessle and Paull are part of a number of tidal flood alleviation projects that form part of the Humber Flood Risk Management Strategy.

The Environment Agency and local partners are now in the process of developing an advanced approach to managing flooding in tidal areas by the River Humber for the next 100 years.

This long-term investment will contribute to securing the viability of Hull and the wider Humber region, ensuring it retains its place as a major contributor to the UK economy.

In addition to the work on the Humber frontage, more than £100m is being invested in river and surface water flooding in Hull and the surrounding area.

If anyone has any questions about the scheme they can email: humberhullfrontage@environment-agency.gov.uk

More information about the scheme is available at https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/yorkshire/humber-hull-frontages/

Notes to editors

In the past 65 years, there have been three major tidal events in Hull, the last was in December 2013 when 264 properties were flooded due to the overtopping of the existing defences. During high tides, water levels have the potential to rise to around 1 – 3m above some parts of the city.

The new defences will extend from St Andrew’s Quay in the west to the eastern end of Victoria Dock Village. The site includes three sections:- St Andrew’s Quay Retail Park and William Wright and Albert Docks; Humber Quays and Victoria Pier and on the opposite side of the River Hull, the frontage of Victoria Dock Village extending from Camilla Close to Corinthian Way. There are also two ‘satellite’ sites at Lord’s Clough to the east of Queen Elizabeth Dock and the main compound will be at 26 Lime Street which was set up for the River Hull project