Press release: Events to spread the word about Hull’s £42m tidal flood scheme

Hull residents and businesses are being invited to learn more about a multi-million scheme to protect thousands of properties from flooding from the Humber at two events this month (May).

They will be held at Mr Chu’s Chinese Restaurant in St Andrew’s Quay Retail Park on Tuesday 15th May and Victoria Dock Village Hall on Wednesday 16 May. Visitors can drop-in anytime between 1-7pm.

Representatives from the Environment Agency and contractors BMM JV
will be on hand to discuss plans for the £42million Humber Hull Frontage Improvement Scheme which will improve flood protection to 113,000 properties in Hull.

Following on from an event at the Guildhall last month, this will be a chance for people to discuss plans for these areas in more detail.

Led by the Environment Agency, the Humber Hull Frontage Improvements Scheme presents an opportunity to improve 7-8 kilometres of tidal flood defences at various sites along the Humber Estuary frontage to better protect homes and businesses that are at risk of flooding.

Subject to planning approval, work on the Humber Hull Frontage Improvements scheme will start in late summer and will be complete by the end of 2020.

Project contractor BMM JV – a joint venture between BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald – will be sharing early designs and plans which will build resilience along the city’s 19 kilometre waterfront.

Helen Tattersdale, project manager at the Environment Agency, said:

These two drop-in sessions follow one we held at The Guildhall last month to share our plans. We want to make sure as many residents as possible are aware of what is being proposed and we’re keen to get feedback from them.

Our team is ready to answer any queries residents of business owners may have about what work needs to be done to better protect the city from flooding from the Humber Estuary.

In recent years we have seen the impact tidal flooding can cause and it is vital for the city to have improved flood defences to ensure devastating flooding like that which resulted from the December 2013 tidal surge is few and far between.

Improvements in Hull will be supported by a further four kilometres (2.5 mile) of new and raised tidal defences on either side of the city in the East Riding of Yorkshire, at Hessle and Paull, delivered by East Riding of Yorkshire Council in partnership with the Environment Agency.

The Humber Hull Frontage Improvement Scheme is one of a number of tidal flood alleviation projects that form part of the Humber Flood Risk Management Strategy. The Environment Agency and local partners are now in the process of developing an advanced approach to managing flooding in tidal areas by the Humber for the next 100 years.

It will be a long-term investment that will contribute to securing the viability of Hull and the wider Humber region, ensuring it retains its place as the eastern gateway to the UK economy.