£18m scheme under way to construct flood defences in Gt Yarmouth
The Environment Agency are carrying out essential repairs and upgrading the flood defences along the River Yare in Great Yarmouth.
Work taking place on the defences in Great Yarmouth
The £18m scheme being progressed has now moved to the western side of the River Yare that runs parallel with Southtown Road between the Sefton Lane junction (Seatrax) and the Tollgate Road junction (Silverton Aggregates).
The works will involve the replacement and improvement of existing flood defences, including construction of a new sheet piled river wall. A large crane, known as a piling rig, will be driving sheet piles into the river bed to form the new quay wall.
The repairs are anticipated to take place over the next 18 months and will be phased to minimise disruption to the town and its residents and businesses.
Speaking about the work Graham Verrier, Area Flood Risk Manager said:
We have an ongoing programme of works to reconstruct the flood defences in Great Yarmouth to provide the best standard of flood protection to people and property. The defences were severely tested in December 2013 during a large tidal surge along the East Coast.
These new tidal defences will be constructed with a standard of defence that includes an estimated allowance for climate change, this will ensure that flood risk is reduced to the people of Great Yarmouth for the future.
The work is expected to be completed by spring 2017.