More than 250 homes and businesses in Ponteland are better protected from flooding now Environment Agency work on a £2.7million flood scheme has been completed.
The image shows representatives from the Environment Agency, designers Arup, and construction company BAM Nuttall with MP Guy Opperman.
(L-R): Leila Huntington, Environment Agency Flood and Coastal Risk Manager; MP Guy Opperman; Andy Judson, BAM Nuttall (scheme construction company);
Lynsey Gray, Arup (scheme designers); Kevin Bulman, BAM Nuttall; Kirsty Harwood, Environment Agency Project Manager
Work to better protect the town started in August 2020 and included replacing the existing flood defences on the south bank of the River Pont with one continuous sheet piled flood wall.
The wall was created with climate change at the forefront of the design with allowances in the foundations for the walls to be raised in future if needed.
Town is ‘better protected now and into the future’
Kirsty Harwood, Environment Agency Project Manager for the Ponteland flood scheme, said:
“We understand just how devastating it is to be flooded and we consulted with the community throughout to develop a scheme which meets their needs.
“We know there is a long history of flooding in Ponteland and although we can never eradicate the risk entirely, now this project is complete we hope it provides reassurance for local residents that they are better protected now and into the future.”
The contractor, BAM Nuttall, maintained a temporary flood defence throughout construction to uphold flood protection. Almost all of the people employed by BAM to work on the project were local.
A record £5.2 billion government investment to create around 2,000 new flood and coastal defences and better protect 336,000 properties across England by 2027 was announced last year.
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