Construction work has started on a major new £50 million flood defence scheme in Leeds, which will protect hundreds of homes and businesses.
The new defences are the first of their kind for the area. In total, they will protect over 150 businesses and reduce the potential disruption caused by flooding for 3,000 city centre flats.
The scheme includes new gates to control the flow of the river Aire, removing the island between the river and the nearby canal, and building new raised defences.
Almost 19,000 jobs are estimated to be created within the protected area over the next 10 years, so the new defences will play a vital role in protecting the Yorkshire economy.
Funded by £35 million worth of government funding, together with contributions from both Leeds City Council and the private sector, this scheme is an example of how partnership funding is being used to pay for new defences to make the country more resilient.
Early indications from new independent research into partnership funding for flood defence schemes show up to a quarter (25 per cent) more schemes will go ahead in the coming years than if project costs were met by central government alone.
Across the country, 55 flood defence schemes will begin construction this year.
Want to know more about similar schemes in England up to 2018 and beyond, together with estimated value and hundreds of key named contacts and win new business? Click here for more details of our industry-leading report Selling into the UK Flood Risk Management Sector in England 2013/14
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