Mott MacDonald has begun design work on the Sheffield Lower Don Valley flood defence project, one of the largest flood protection schemes in the UK. The consultancy is working for Carillion on their design and build contract with Sheffield City Council.
Lower Don Valley, a critical economic area for Sheffield second only to the city centre, was devastated by flooding in 2007. Hundreds of millions of pounds worth of damage was caused, businesses and infrastructure were heavily disrupted and the local population was put at significant risk.
Improving protection against flooding up to and including a 1 in 100 year event, the project will see the installation of over 50 interventions along an 8km stretch of the River Don between the Wicker and the Blackburn Brook by the M1 motorway. Mott MacDonald will provide the detailed design for new reinforced concrete walls and earth embankments, as well as repairs and improvements to existing walls and structures.
Colin Greensill, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: “Once complete, the scheme will protect over 500 businesses and thousands of jobs, as well as ensuring that the Lower Don Valley remains an attractive place for new investment. Mitigation against the effects of climate change to 2039 is also built into the project.”
The Sheffield Lower Don Valley flood defence scheme is due to be completed early 2017.
