Humber: Hull Frontage Flood Defence Improvements - Information Page

Overview

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update

The Environment Agency has remained operational throughout the Coronavirus emergency. We have adapted how we work in line with government guidance to ensure we can continue to focus on our critical activities.

We will continue to review the situation in light of further advice from the government. Our latest position is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency

Background

The Humber: Hull Frontage scheme is a £42 million flood defence scheme to upgrade the defences along the edge of the Humber Estuary to protect the city of Hull from tidal flooding. 

Much of the funding for the scheme comes from Defra Flood Defence Grant in Aid funding. The scheme is also made possible through a £3 million contribution from Highways England. 

The scheme will reduce the risk of flooding from the estuary for 113,000 properties.  It will upgrade tidal flood defences at eight locations along the estuary foreshore, including at St Andrew's Quay Retail Park, Victoria Pier and Victoria Dock Village. In total more than seven kilometres of tidal flood defences along the estuary frontage will be improved.

Work on the scheme is scheduled to be completed in Autumn 2021.

The improved flood defences have been constructed to the required height and are now functional, reducing tidal flood risk to 113,000 properties in Hull.

Our latest update is available here August update

Image: Map of the Humber: Hull Frontage scheme

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Current update

We have worked hard to make sure that the defences are providing flood risk benefits to the city as soon as possible. The defences are now at the required height and the scheme is operational, better protecting 113,000 from tidal flood risk in Hull.

To allow the flood defences to perform as designed, in a few locations we have installed some short-term measures whilst we await delivery of some final materials.

Our contractor BMM-JV - a joint venture between BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald - are on site and continue working at different locations.

Over the next few months, the team will continue to work on completing the final elements of the scheme. This will include reinstatement works, landscaping, planting and full reopening of areas and footpaths to the public.

Victoria Dock Village

A new concrete flood defence wall has been constructed at Victoria Dock Village East. Flood gates have been installed at Crane Road, Lancelot Court and Harbour Way. Glass panels have been incorporated into the new flood defence at some locations to maintain views of The Humber.

The majority of the Trans Pennine Trail at Victoria Dock Village East was re-opened in early July so that people can now walk along the estuary front from the Half Tide Basin towards Corinthian Way.

The access ramp at Helm Drive is currently fenced off to allow for final surfacing and finishing works, this will be re-opened as soon as possible. Final reinstatement and finishing works are progressing along the Victoria Dock Village West frontage where the footpath has been open for some time.

Victoria Pier:

New steel sheet piles have been installed in the Humber Estuary to replace the previous piles, which had reached the end of their useful life. A new flood defence wall has been built on top of the sheet pile wall, which contains new flood gates and glass panels to maintain views of the Humber.

Behind the new flood defence wall reinstatement work is ongoing in Nelson Street. A new promenade has been built on the landward side of the flood defence wall and the area is being resurfaced with new paving stones. New access ramps, steps and seating areas have also been created. The area will be planted with trees and shrubbery as part of the landscaping. Some new lighting columns, benches and planters will be installed alongside the original street furniture. The artwork and statues located within Nelson Street will be reinstated along with the public parking spaces. Work will continue over the next month. Once complete, areas of Nelson Street will then begin to re-open in sections from September onwards.

Pedestrian access continues to be maintained along Nelson Street. Public access to Victoria Pier remains closed until our works are complete in Autumn 2021.

Why is this work needed?

In the past 65 years, there have been three major tidal events in Hull.  The most significant  of these occurred in December 2013 when 264 properties were flooded when the existing defences were overtopped. During high spring tides, water levels in the estuary have the potential to rise by around one to three metres above some parts of the city.

The Humber: Hull Frontage Scheme is one of a number of flood alleviation projects that form part of the Humber Flood Risk Management Strategy. The Environment Agency and 12 local authorities around the Humber are working together to review and determine how we manage tidal flood risk around the Humber Estuary, including rivers where tidal flow is the main source of tidal flood risk.

In 2008, the Humber Flood Risk Management Strategy identified the need for a review of tidal defences in and around the city of Hull. We reviewed 19 kilometres of existing defences along the north bank of the Humber, through Hull from Saltend in the east to the city’s boundary at Hessle Haven in the west.

Our review concluded that improved flood defences were required over seven kilometres of the study area and that work was needed in eight separate locations along the estuary frontage in Hull.

Working in partnership

This investment will be supported by a further four kilometres of new and raised defences on either side of the city, at Hessle, where work is currently being planned and at Paull, where defences have already been completed. This work is delivered by East Riding of Yorkshire Council in partnership with the Environment Agency.