Yarm Flood Alleviation Scheme

The Environment Agency is replacing Yarm flood gates because:

• The existing gates are deteriorating faster than expected. They continue to protect Yarm however the gates do need to be replaced.
• We have a new flood gate specification – using this specification to design new gates means that we will have gates that are safer and easier to operate.
• Wide single leaf swinging flood gates can be dangerous to operate in windy conditions or on uneven ground, putting our staff at risk of injury. Consequently, we have made some gates smaller and changed some to sliding gates to make them safer to operate.

Another benefit of the new gates is that we will be able to shut the gates more quickly. This means that we will be able to shut them later reducing the impact on residents. There will still be some instances where we need to close the gates early.

Over the last few years we have engaged with all residents and landowners in Yarm who have flood gates on their properties. We have agreed with all landowners whether their flood gate can be removed and blocked up or replaced. In some instances, we have agreed with the landowner to reduce the opening width of the flood gate.

Thank you for everyone’s cooperation as we’ve gone through this process.

For more detailed information, you can find our newsletters on this web page, dates and times for community drop-in events, or contact us at EA-YarmFAS@environment-agency.gov.uk 

Continuation of works - June 2025

The final phase of the Flood Gate Replacement works is nearing completion, with all flood gates now installed. We will continue to undertake the necessary re-instatement to ensure that the working areas are returned back to their pre-condition. We would like to thank everyone affected for their patience and support, whilst we’ve been undertaking these vital works to manage flood risk to Yarm.

Photo: Final gate installation

Completion of Works and Quality Assurance

Over the next few weeks, our contractor will be carrying out some snagging and re-instatement works around Yarm, returning to some new gates to inspect and in some cases undertake some additional targeted testing. These targeted tests are part of the latest quality assurance requirements for the scheme, making sure we have complete testing records, to latest requirements, before our contractors demobilise from site. Any landowners affected by these additional tests will have already received information from the Environment Agency about this.

To safely undertake the additional targeted water testing for gates close to True Lovers Walk footpath, access along small sections of True Lovers Walk will be temporarily impacted and potentially closed for a very short period of time. Water testing involves the build-up of a head of water against the flood gate, using a wooden shutter. For safety reasons, we will not undertake a water test with members of the public passing close by, in the event that the wooden testing structure was to fail or leak. Access along small sections of True Lovers Walk will only be temporarily impacted during the water test, lasting up to one day. We apologise for any inconvenience these essential activities may cause and thank you for your continued patience and cooperation.

In addition to the above water testing, following our quality checks, some of the hydraulic pumps used to raise and lower the gates need to be replaced with a new, improved pump. The gates remain fully operational and continue to be checked regularly. Our contractors will be in touch with any residents or landowners should access to their property be required to replace these pumps, over the next couple of months. The flood gates remain fully operational in the meantime.

Photo: Test shutter, June 2025

Re-opened True Lovers Walk 

True Lovers Walk on the West side of Yarm was re-opened to the Public on the 25^th April 2025. The project team from BAM Nuttall and the Environment Agency, along with a large number of Friends of True Lovers Walk volunteers, planted over 2000 bulbs to help reinstate the embankments for the benefit of all the residents and visitors to Yarm. We would like to thank the community for their patience whilst we completed these vital works.

Photo: Reinstatement of seating on True Lovers Walk