Work has commenced on a £40-million (€46.7-million) major coastal defence project in the town of Great Yarmouth in the east of England in a bid to protect the town against the increasing threat floods caused by climate change.
Ice House, Great Yarmouth - Works completed as part of the wider scheme included tarmacking, pre cast and insitu concrete for the new flood wall. Image: Great Yarmouth tidal defence project
The Great Yarmouth Tidal Defence Project will enhance the level of flood protection for more than 4,500 homes and business in the area, according to the UK government.
The town of Great Yarmouth, on the east coast of Norfolk, is built on a low-laying spit of land that separates the River Yare from the North Sea and so is particularly vulnerable to tidal flooding. In December 2013, around 9,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes due to record tides.
The threat of flooding has been severely increased by climate change. Last November, US-based think tank Climate Central predicted that large parts of Norfolk, including Great Yarmouth, could be below sea level by 2050.
UK Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said that the work to shore up the town's defences, which is expected to be completed by next year, will provide protection to the town for "decades to come".
"This innovative scheme, which has received over £32-million (€37.5-million) of government funding and involves refurbishing four kilometres of flood defence walls across the town, will not only provide greater peace of mind to local residents but will also help secure jobs and boost economic opportunities for the town both now and into the future," she said.
The UK's Environment Agency has stated that it will spend £2.6-billion (€3.04-billion) on defending England's coastal areas and 300,000 homes from flooding.
The project's main contractor is JBA Bentley - a joint venture between civil engineering contractor JN Bentley and water and environmental consultant, JBA.
The main source of the project's funding is from a central government grant with the remainder coming from the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, Anglian Eastern Regional Flood & Coastal Committee, Norfolk County Council and Great Yarmouth Borough Council.
Back to Homepage
Back to Construction & Engineering