Great Yarmouth tidal defence project begins

Work has begun on an innovative £40M project to upgrade vital flood defences in Great Yarmouth.

Environment Minster Rebecca Pow MP and Environment Agency Chair, Emma Howard Boyd, joined local partners to mark the start of work on this major scheme which will see thousands of homes and businesses better protected from tidal flooding for decades to come.

The work, which is expected to complete next year, will upgrade the level of protection from tidal flooding to more than 4,500 homes and businesses in the local area. The refurbishment works will extend the working life of the existing defences, and the new innovative construction methods being used will significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the project.

This major project will see 46 flood defence walls refurbished at locations across the town using an innovative technique that will extend their lifespan by up to 30 years.

The refurbishment follows on from an initial five-year phase of work which included the use of a specialised dam to inspect and repair the steel sheet piles that form the flood walls.

Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow, said: “I’m delighted to be here to witness the start of work on this vital project which will see homes and businesses in Great Yarmouth better protected from flooding for decades to come.

“This innovative scheme, which has received over £32M of government funding and involves refurbishing four kilometres of flood defence walls across the town, will not only provide greater peace of mind to local residents but will also help secure jobs and boost economic opportunities for the town both now and into the future.”

Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency said: “This scheme is a prime example of how we are taking a long-term collaborative approach to tackling both the causes and the impacts of the climate emergency, ensuring that communities, homes and infrastructure are more resilient to the additional risks that the future will bring.”

The £40.3M investment, plus £6.2M for ongoing maintenance, has come from a range of sources including £32.4M provided by central government. Partnership contributions have come from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, £8.2M through the Growth Deal programme, and £2.8M from the Anglian Eastern Regional Flood & Coastal Committee.

Norfolk County Council and Great Yarmouth Borough Council have also contributed towards the project and local quayside businesses are supporting through contributions and the provision of compound space.

This project forms part of the Environment Agency’s £2.6Bn investment in flood and coastal defences, spanning from 2015-2021, which will better protect over 300,000 homes from the risk of flooding.