Burton Flood Risk Management Scheme Information

Overview

Updated 11 July 2019- next update due 30 September 2019

Background

Burton is entwined with the River Trent, its history is fundamentally linked to the river and its growth has depended on it.

Before the defences were built flood events regularly impacted on Burton.

Approximately 9km of defences; walls, embankments and high ground, first built as a result of the 1932 floods, currently protect Burton. Without these defences the town would regularly experience flooding.

In 2000, when the water level was at its highest since 1947, the defences stood firm. The photo below, courtesy of Burton Mail, shows how the water reached up to the flood defences.

However these defences are old and need updating and improving to protect the town.

We last improved parts of the defences in 2005-07, known as ‘Phase 1’ of the current programme of works.

We are now in phase 2, upgrading the rest of the defences, not tackled in 2005-07, and tying into phase 1, so that Burton has a single set of defences at the same level. The current work planned amount to about 3.7km of defence work.

The figure below shows red lines on the locations where we will be improving the defences over the coming years.

Our objectives for the Burton Flood Risk Management project are :

• To improve flood defences for over 4,500 homes
• To provide additional environmental improvements- work with partners, such as East Staffordshire Borough Council, to help achieve more than just flood defences
• Engage with the town and it’s communities to educate them about the flood risk and the defences - highlighting that the river is at the heart of this community

What we are doing

We are improving the quality of the defences currently already protecting Burton from river flooding.

Part of the current defences are at the end of their life span. If we didn’t improve the defences they may ‘breach’ and cause parts of Burton to flood.

The photos below show erosion to the current embankments at Riverside Mobile Home Park and Regatta Lane Allotments, caused by the water and by high foot fall.

The scheme will provide Burton with a better level of protection from the River Trent.

The main aim of this scheme is to improve the quality by using better material, such as sheet piling (driving metal plates into the ground) where required or replacing the current embankment with a clay core embankment. This will be carried out in various different ways, depending on what is currently in place and what space we have to work with.  More detail on what we will be doing in your area can be requested by contacting the Public Liaison officer- details provided on the top right hand side of this page.

Project funding

Costs are currently approximately £30 million and the scheme is funded mainly by flood defence grant in aid with some Local Levy funding support.

Timescales

We have now officially started construction. This was celebrated with a ground breaking event in June 2019

Construction has started behind Blackpool Street. In this location we will be improving the structural integrity of the flood defences by sheet piling and re-profiling the embankments for about 500 metres in between the Leicester Line Railway Bridge and Tesco.

In July we will start in the section between the Riverside Hotel and Branston Golf and Country Club. We will start on the embankment behind Paget High School at the end of July before working down to Branston Golf Club Car Park.

We will also be working in between Regatta Lane Allotments and Branston Golf Club and the Library and Leisure Centre for about 12 months. This work will start in the Autumn.

There are 2 compounds for the scheme; the main compound on Wetmore Road and a satellite compound at the B&Q centre on Burton Road, Branston. These will remain there throughout the construction period.  

The table below shows when we will be working on the different locations in more detail

This programme is subject to change and will be updated frequently.

Engaging with communities

In late 2017 we ran a series of drop in sessions alongside the stretch of the defences. This was an opportunity for us to make people aware of the proposed defences and allowed local residents to raise initial issues and concerns for us to consider.

We continued liaising with key communities through Parish Council meetings and resident meetings in the year thereafter.

We completed a second series of drop-in sessions in November 2018, talking to residents and interested parties on 5 locations along the River Trent. This series of drop-in sessions allowed people to comment on the detailed design of the scheme. Further dropin sessions are taking place ahead of construction in individual locations, to inform people of final design and access routes. In May and June 2019 we held drop in sessions in the Blackpool Street area and in Branston.

We will post information about further drop in sessions on this website and inform all people who have signed up to our email database. You can sign up to our database by contacting the Public Liaison Officer on the details on the top right hand side of this page. We will leaflet the area most directly affected by the work at that stage of construction ahead of drop in events.  

Environmental improvements -Washlands Strategy

As part of our commitment to deliver more than just flood defences, we have worked with East Staffs Borough Council (ESBC) to create a landscape vision and outline design.

ESBC have applied for funding to deliver the works and, if successful, would deliver environmental and amenity enhancements which would include a new play area, wetlands and a board walk as well as new street furniture.

The vision for the Washlands is currently being consulted on by the council.

More information about the vision can be found on;

www.eaststaffsbc.gov.uk/washlands-project

Footpath closures during work

Unfortunately footpath closures will have to take place during the works. This is mainly for health and safety purposes.

As most paths are permissive paths we are not required to provide alternative routes. However, we will do our best to reduce disruption by notifying local residents in advance and suggesting suitable alternative routes, as per below;

From June 2019 to winter 2020 the footpath behind Blackpool Street between Watchman’s cottage and St Matthew Street will be closed to the public whilst we are carrying out the work. The alternative route on this stretch will be through Blackpool Street and Burton Road..

The footpath between Lansdowne Road and the golf course will be closed for approximately 6 months to 1 year from July 2019. The footpath will be re-opened and much improved after completion of the work. There will be no diversion, but we suggest using Burton Road as an alternative route.

The footpath between the cricket club and the allotments will also be closed for the duration of the work, estimated to be from Autumn 2019 to Autumn 2020. There will be an improved path on top of the defence to allow access between the cricket club and the allotments once the work is completed.

Work by Burton Library and the Leisure Centre is likely to take place between autumn 2019 and Winter 2020. The footpath between the current flood defence and the Washlands will have to be closed during this time. The alternative route is through town.

 In Spring/ Summer 2020 we anticipate to work on the flood defence by Electric Street. We anticipate access to playing field to be through the already available alternative entrance off Wetmore Lane during construction.

The informal footpath by the side of Riverside Mobile Home Park will need to be closed from spring 2020 to winter 2020.

Please keep visiting our information page as we will be updating it every two to three months. Our next update is due 30 September 2019. This page will be open to the public until the end of construction in 2021.

Thank you for visiting our project information page.