A joint venture comprising BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald (BMMJV) has been awarded a £23 million contract for a major flood defence scheme in Hull, UK. BMMJV will carry out vital work to design and build new defences at a number of locations along the River Hull, as well as upgrading existing defences.
At present, Kingston-upon-Hull has safeguards that provide a 1-in-200 year standard of protection. The new scheme will help ensure the existing river defences continue to reduce the risk of flooding in the city, which suffered severe flooding in 2007 after prolonged rainfall. Part of a wider £36.5 million Environment Agency scheme, the works will protect around 45,000 properties in Hull from flooding.
Located within a 7.5km stretch, 39 hard defences will be repaired by BMMJV after extensive surveys showed some of these are in need of repair or replacement. New defences will utilise combi sheet pile wall, undertaken using marine plant, while concrete will be used to restore existing defences.
Neil Longden, flood risk manager at the Environment Agency, said: “This scheme is brilliant for the people of Hull. Not only will it ensure much relief to the many residents whose homes are at risk of flooding but will kick start new developments and economic growth along the river corridor.”
BMMJV was appointed to the project through the Environment Agency’s Water and Environment Management framework under a two stage tendering process.
Work is planned to begin in spring 2017, with planned completion scheduled for autumn 2019.