BAM Nuttall Limited has been awarded the initial phase of the£50 million flood defence scheme for Leeds.
The company will start work next week on the £2 million Woodlesford Enabling Works phase of the scheme which is scheduled to last 22 week and includes construction of an embankment, flood walls and storage pond.
Planning permission for the flood defences in the City Centre and Holbeck, including the removal of Knostrop Cut, has recently been granted. Detailed design work for these parts continues to be progressed and the design and build contract is programmed to be tendered in April 2014 following a bid competition in March.
Firms on the Environment Agency’s asset delivery framework who will be in the bidding for the work are as follows:
- BMM joint venture (BAM Nuttall, Mott MacDonald)
- GBV joint venture (Galliford Try, Black & Veatch)
- JacksonHyder
- JN Bentley, JBA
- Team Van Oord
- VBA consortium (VolkerStevin, Boskalis Westminster, Atkins)
In recent years Leeds city centre has come very close to flooding several times - at the moment there are no formal flood defences along the River Aire making the city very vulnerable to flooding. There is also a significant risk of surface flooding from drains and sewers that cannot discharge when the river is high.
An estimated 4,500-plus properties are at risk of flooding and approximately £450m of direct damage would be caused by a major flood from the River Aire in Leeds. The Environment Agency deemed a previous £190m comprehensive scheme for the River Aire as unaffordable.
The new scheme will provide protection against flood events likely to happen once every 75 years. The scheme is estimated to cost in the region of £50.5m and is being funded through a partnership supported by Defra and the Treasury, Leeds City Council and local businesses.
The defence scheme is scheduled for completion in 2016.
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