Work to start on £11m flood wall
HUMBER: Work to build a glass and concrete wall in the shadow of the Humber Bridge will start later this month in a scheme to protect thousands of homes and properties from flooding.
The £11m project at Cliff Road, Hessle seven years after a devastating tidal surge, is designed to defend more than 4,000 homes.
WORK TO build a glass and concrete wall in the shadow of the Humber Bridge will start later this month in a multi-million pound scheme to protect thousands of homes from flooding.
The £11m project to construct the wall stretching half-a-kilometre along Cliff Road, Hessle, which comes seven years after a devastating tidal surge, is designed to defend more than 4,000 homes in west Hull, as well as 67 non-residential properties, over the next 50 years.
The surge in December 2013 saw 40 homes and 44 businesses flooded up to 3ft deep, and significant disruption to the businesses, with stock losses running into millions of pounds.
Forecasts suggest that floods are likely to happen more often in future because of increases in sea levels caused by climate change.
Dave Waudby, the head of infrastructure and facilities at East Riding Council, urged people to avoid the area, as there will be some traffic delays along Cliff
Road and parking on the foreshore will be restricted.
However, he said: “With the lockdown and social distancing in place this shouldn’t cause too much of an issue just at the moment, but we’d like to thank people for their patience while this work is carried out.”
The scheme is also designed to cut the flood risk to the A63 and railway line to Hull, along with electricity substations and other utility infrastructure.
Work began in January on the first phase – a one-metre concrete barrier along the westbound stretch of the A63 Clive Sullivan Way, which is being carried out by Highways England.
The next stage, carried out by council contractor Interserve Construction Ltd, includes the new wall along the southern side of Cliff Road, Hessle, which will have floodgates that can be closed during tidal surges.
The road underneath the Humber Bridge will also be raised to tie in with the concrete barrier as it passes under the bridge.
East Riding councillor Chris Matthews said: “I am extremely pleased work is starting on this major tidal defence project.
“When the whole scheme is complete it will help to minimise the risk of flooding to thousands of properties in Hessle and west Hull, which have suffered the effects of tidal surges before.”
The scheme links in with the £42m tidal wall being built over a nine-mile stretch from St Andrews Dock to Victoria Dock estate in Hull.
Dean Hamblin, the Environment Agency’s senior flood risk advisor for the East Riding, said: “Together they will help reduce the risk of flooding to more than 100,000 properties in the city and form part of a wider £200m investment in flood defence work across the East Riding and Hull.”
Funding includes £2.3m from the European Regional Development Fund, as well as from the Government.
It will help to minimise flooding for thousands of properties.
East Riding councillor Chris Matthews.