Funding secured for flood prevention in the North East

Funding has been secured for a £5.2m flood scheme in Hexham, Northumberland.

Approximately 90 properties were flooded from the River Tyne in Bridge End and Tyne Mills Industrial Estates in 2015. 

To prevent this from happening again, the proposed flood scheme will reduce the risk posed by the River Tyne by installing approximately 600 metres of flood walls and grass embankments. 

The improvement works will also include the construction of a new flood defence wall and short sections of flood embankment from the Reiver Sports site to the existing flood embankment at Egger.

In the Tyne Mills Industrial Estate, there will be a short length of embankment across the Skinnersburn connecting into a new flood defence wall running along the perimeter of Northumberland County Council’s Tyne Mills depot through to the Peth Head pumping station.

The Environment Agency is in discussions with key landowners to gain agreement for construction access and permissions are being sought from the Local Planning Authority and Local Lead Flood Authority to carry out work on the scheme.

Funding for the new schemes is from the government’s £5.2bn investment to better protect 336,000 properties across England by 2027 by constructing flood and coastal defences. 

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: ‘We are now entering into the final design stages for the embankment on the Skinnerburn and continue to remain committed to delivering an improved standard of protection for the business on the estates.

‘Our ever-changing climate is expected to mean wetter winters, more intense rainfall and, unfortunately, more frequent flooding in future.

‘Our proposed scheme aims to reduce the risk of flooding at both industrial estates and will protect homes and businesses up to the level of the Storm Desmond 2015 flood event. Once planning consent and access agreements are in place, BAM Nuttall, our principal contractor is due on site in Hexham in December 2021, with completion of the scheme running into late summer/autumn 2022.’