WIREDGOV

Around 8,000 homes and major industry in North East Lincolnshire are to benefit from Environment Agency flood defence works on the Humber bank.

Construction has started on Stage 2 of the Stallingborough Flood Alleviation Scheme. The works, which are costing £600,000, will see improvements made to 1.6km of coastal defences.

The defences are situated on the south bank of the Humber Estuary between Grimsby and Immingham. They reduce the risk of flooding to more than 8,000 homes in the towns, as well as key industry including a power station, chemical works and Immingham Docks.

Phase 2 of the Stallingborough Flood Alleviation Scheme was identified as part of the Humber Estuary Flood Risk Management Strategy and is expected to take around six months to complete. Phase 1 took place in 2009.

The scheme is part of a five-scheme package of works to maintain key tidal defences in and around the Humber. The package will cut the risk of flooding to 0.5 per cent (one in 200 years) for a total of 20,000 homes and 2,500 other properties on both the north and south banks of the Humber.

Mike Dugher, Flood and Coastal Risk Management Manager at the Environment Agency, said: “The Stallingborough scheme will refurbish the aging erosion protection along the shoreline. The current protection is beginning to deteriorate and if it is not replaced, the vital flood defence wall above would be put at risk. 

“This work will bring the flood wall up to current standards and ensure the risk of flooding for communities and industry along the Humber Bank remains reduced into the future.”

The works at Stallingborough will include the improvement of the existing sea wall between Middle Drain Outfall and Old Fleet Drain Outfall. Steel piles will be installed and rock armour will be placed around the base of the defence to prevent the sea undermining it.

Repairs are also being made to the flood defences at East Halton. The Environment Agency is working closely with Able UK to help secure longer term funding to improve defences along the Humber’s south bank.

A public footpath which runs along the top of the defence will be closed for the duration of the works.

The scheme has been designed by engineering consultants Black and Veatch. It will be supervised by Halcrow and built by construction firm Birse Coastal, specialist operating division of Birse Civils.