The Environment Agency has awarded two contracts worth £5.7m to Birse Civils.

The two schemes, which form part of the overall £24m Humber Package are: the £4.6m Brough Flood Alleviation Scheme; and the £1.1m Western Drain Improvements.

The Brough project involves the construction of 2,000m of new 3.5m high earth embankment and will extend the existing flood defences by approximately 2,500m. The work also includes improvements to outfall structures and the installation of a new drainage system.

The Western Drain Improvements involves the construction of a large balancing pond capable of containing 36,100m3 of surface water, a control structure and reinforced grass inflow weir.

Birse already works extensively with the Environment Agency. The firm recently completed a 16 month project on the £16.5m Gainsborough Flood Alleviation Scheme which will protect some 2600 properties in the town of Gainsborough and work on the £8m Swinefleet Flood Defence Improvements (part of the Humber Package).

Work on the new contracts, for which Birse Civils is the main contractor, starts this month with a completion date of February 2011. Consulting engineers for the schemes are Halcrow, CDMC and Callsafe Services.