£42M Humber Hull Frontages go ahead

A £42M tidal defence scheme has been given the go ahead in Hull.

The finished project will improve flood protection to some 113,000 homes with upgraded tidal flood defences.

The Humber Hull Frontages scheme presents an opportunity to the Environment Agency to review and improve a 19km stretch of tidal flood defences in the Humber Estuary.

Floods Minister, Thérèse Coffey said: “This state-of-the-art scheme is great news for homeowners and businesses along the Humber Estuary, especially for the city of Hull, as we both upgrade existing defences and add new defences extending protection.

“It is a key part of our £430M flood defence investment programme for Yorkshire, better protecting thousands of homes and helping businesses to grow, thrive and create new opportunities – supporting the Government’s work on the Northern Powerhouse.”

The scheme will be complemented by a further four kilometers of new and raised tidal defences

on either side of the city, at Hessle and Paull. The works are being delivered by BAM Nuttall Mott MacDonald Joint Venture, for East Riding of Yorkshire Council in partnership with the Environment Agency.

Helen Tattersdale, project manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Hull has a long history of being flooded from the Humber Estuary. This was seen most recently in December 2013 when a tidal surge flooded more than 260 properties when the city’s defences were overtopped.

“By raising the existing defence walls and embankments, we are able to plan for the effects of climate change and bring them to the level needed to better protect the city from tidal flooding in future years.

Contractor BMM JV – a joint venture between BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald – has been appointed to develop a detailed design and build plan along Hull’s 19km waterfront. This work follows the review of existing flood defences along the banks of the Humber Estuary in Hull conducted by built environment consultants at Arup.”

Donald Daly, project manager for Arup said: “Coastal Flooding is one of the most serious threats facing the UK. That’s why it is so important that Hull, the country’s largest at-risk urban area outside of London, has received government approval for additional tidal flood defences.

“Using a range of technologies to collect and make sense of vast amounts of data, we’ve developed plans that will improve defences to account for anticipated changing weather patterns and sea level rises over the next 100 years.”

Allan Rogers, BAM Nuttall National Framework Director said: “We are delighted to be involved with another significant flood alleviation scheme for the Environment Agency. It’s a scheme that will deliver outcome measures that will lessen the flood risk to business and homes. We are committed to delivering the scheme efficiently and with stakeholder issues in mind”

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