The Environment Agency’s project to restore flood protection from the River Derwent in Matlock, Derbyshire and better protect 50 homes and businesses from flooding will reach its halfway stage this Christmas.

The project, which is being delivered in partnership with Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Dales District Council, follows the collapse of a privately owned wall that was damaged by flooding in February this year. Reinstating the town’s flood defence will benefit 50 homes and businesses.

All of the sheet piles for the new flood wall have been installed with the exception of the physical tie-in arrangement with Matlock Bridge, which is a scheduled monument. Approval has now been granted from Historic England for the work to go ahead, and it will proceed under archaeological supervision.

Naomi Doughty, project manager for the Environment Agency said:

“We have reached a significant milestone with placing the sheet piles, given how tough the Derbyshire limestone has proven to be. We are now working closely with Historic England on the final placing of the sheet piles adjacent to Matlock Bridge due to the historic value of the bridge.”

Weather permitting, final placing of the remaining sheet piles was due to begin this week in order to complete the bridge tie-in before Christmas Day.

This critical milestone in the construction programme will provide a stable retaining wall upon which the flood wall can then be built in the new year and ensure that flood protection from the River Derwent for the town can be swiftly reinstated.

The Environment Agency’s contractor, Jackson Civil Engineering, is carrying out the work to reinstate the flood defences.

The Agency has been working with its local authority partners to reinstate the river flood protection following the collapse of the wall after the February 2022 storms compromised the defences and left Matlock vulnerable to river flooding.

Following the collapse of the wall, an immediate repair was carried out by placing over 50 rock-filled bags in the River Derwent using a large crane situated on the A6. Further flood prevention work was carried out in April which involved lifting an additional 100 2-tonne rock-filled bags by a large crane situated on the A6 into the River Derwent to reduce erosion and limit damage to the Environment Agency flood wall that sits next to the collapsed privately owned wall.