Overview

Updated 12 March 2025

This page provides a summary of the latest progress and an overview of our project which aims to reduce flooding to homes, businesses and infrastructure in the Woodford and Ilford areas. It also sets out who you can contact for further information, and how to request to be added to our mailing list.

There is a set of Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom of the page, which will be updated regularly throughout the construction phase.

This will be the last time this page is updated as we will be moving across to a new platform ahead of the next update later in the spring. We will post a link to our new page here and send an email to our mailing list when the new page goes live.

Latest project progress

Since our last update in October 2024, key developments include:

• Completion of the first phase of the river diversion (the channel is excavated, but connection to the river through the control structure will happen later in the programme)
• Significant progress on the control structure, with the concrete base and some of the walls of the structure now in place
• Engagement with the London Borough of Redbridge at their scrutiny meeting in November, to raise the profile of the project and to discuss how they can further financially support the project

Figure 1 below shows the location of these works and there is further detail on the key project activities below.

Above: Figure 1 - map showing the location of the River Roding project works

Above: Figure 2 - Aerial shot of the site, showing progress on the control structure

Above: Figure 3 - Aerial shot showing the first phase of the River Diversion which the River Roding will be diverted through later in the construction programme

Control structure

The control structure is an important element of the project which will control the amount of flow the river passes downstream to provide flood risk benefit to communities. Once complete, the River Roding will be diverted through this structure.

The majority of the work on site over the last few months has been focused on this and figure 4 below shows the significant progress that has been made.

Above: Figure 4 - Control structure progress as of 3 March 2025

Below, figure 5 shows the site from above and the location of the individual activities being undertaken by BAM Nuttall. Additional detail of each activity is in the table below the image.

Above: Figure 5 - aerial view of the site

What's next?

The diagram below shows the high-level activities which will take place within the next 6 months of the flood storage area construction programme:

We will update this diagram regularly as the project progresses. We expect to complete the construction in early 2027.

Why are we doing these works?

There has been an increased frequency of flood events over the past 20 years. The most serious flood in recent decades occurred in October/November 2000. Over 400 homes in Woodford were flooded, there was widespread disruption to local infrastructure and major roads (including Charlie Browns roundabout) were closed for over a week. Climate change data shows that the frequency and intensity of such events will increase over the coming years, so it is important we reduce the impact of flooding on the local area.

As well as the economic damage that occurs after a flood event, flooding also has an impact on peoples' wellbeing. Flooding often causes financial stress, disruptions to daily life and can impact peoples' mental health (see figure 6 below).

Above: Figure 6 - Some of the impacts flooding can have on people's wellbeing

The photos below show flood events which have affected the communities in Woodford and Ilford.

Above: Figure 7 - Aerial photograph of the Roding flooding in December 2019, taken by a local resident

Above: Figure 8 - Photo taken during the floods in 2000.

Project background

The River Roding Project will reduce flooding to residential properties, commercial properties and infrastructure in the Woodford and Ilford areas.

The project includes building a flood storage area on the River Roding, upstream of the M25, at Shonks Mill Bridge. The flood storage area will allow the river to flow naturally most of the time, however in times of high flows, water will build up and be stored behind the earth embankment creating a temporary reservoir, reducing the risk of flooding downstream. This will then drain naturally back into the river as flows reduce.

The project also includes refurbishing a flood embankment downstream in Woodford to withstand the estimated impacts of climate change.

The before and after diagrams in figure 9 below show how a flood storage area works. In times of high flows, flood water is held behind the earth embankment while a controlled flow will be able to pass through the structure, reducing the flow, and extent of flooding downstream.

Figure 10 below shows an artists impression of how the embankment will look on the River Roding at Shonks Mill once it is complete.

Above: Figure 9 - Diagram showing how flood risk is reduced to downstream communities by a flood embankment and control structure

Above: Figure 10 - Artists impression of the completed flood storage area embankment above Shonks Mill Road

If you would like to ask the project team any questions, then please contact us using the email address on the right-hand side of this page. If you would like to be added to our mailing list so that you are kept updated about the project, and notified when this website is updated then please send us an email and we will add you to our list.

Please note our proposals will reduce the risk of flooding and climate change impact but will not eliminate the risk altogether.