Work on a £600,000 flood alleviation scheme to protect dozens of properties along Willow Grove, Pasture Terrace and Tiger Lane in Beverley, is now complete, despite unusually high ground water levels at the beginning of the year delaying the start of the project.
During 2007, properties in these areas flooded internally with further significant surface water flooding in central Beverley. As a result, the council started a scheme of works in January designed to reduce the risk of future flooding events to provide a standard of protection equivalent to a 1.3 per cent chance of flooding in any one year by constructing a retaining wall to capture flows of water on the Westwood.
The wall, made from steel reinforced concrete, is clad in traditionally-made bricks and was designed in consultation with the planning and conservation teams as well as the Beverley Pasture Masters to create a strong but aesthetically pleasing flood defence.
As well as the wall, the scheme includes a complementary project by Yorkshire Water to reduce the risk of flooding from the public sewer network. In addition, the council has recently purchased a number of mobile high-capacity pumps which provide additional resilience, further reducing the flood risk at Willow Grove and across the East Riding.
Councillor Chris Matthews, cabinet portfolio holder for infrastructure, highways and emergency planning at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The council is committed to doing all it can to reduce the risk of flooding across the East Riding and continues to invest in a range of schemes to provide our residents with a bit more peace of mind.
“I would like to commend the efforts of our local contractor PBS Construction who have overcome some real difficulties with regards to poor weather to deliver this important scheme which will help protect dozens of properties.
“The benefits of the Pasture Terrace Flood Alleviation Scheme are not just in reducing flood risk but also in the safeguarding of jobs in the construction industry which in turn supports the local economy.”
Pete Smurthwaite, director of PBS Construction, said: “We were pleased to be awarded this prestigious contract by East Riding of Yorkshire Council which has helped us to keep our local employees in continuous employment at a difficult time for the construction industry. We would also like to thank the local residents for their help and co-operation throughout the contract.”
Nigel Leighton, director of environment and neighbourhood services, said: “Having been involved with the flooding over the Christmas and New Year period, it was clear that further flood alleviation works were required.
“This is the second such scheme we have completed on the Westwood and together these will reduce the risk of flooding for dozens of properties in Willow Grove, Pasture Terrace, Tiger Lane and the North Bar area.
“I would like to personally thank the residents and Beverley Pasture Masters for their patience, understanding and support to enable the scheme to progress and now be completed.”
Local resident Kathryn Coates, said: “This improvement in our protection against flooding is a huge weight off our minds and we’d like to thank both the council and PBS for their perseverance during this challenging project.”
Les Diment, another local resident, was also pleased to see works complete.
He said: “Considerable relief is the underlying sentiment of the residents of this area of Beverley now that an acceptable level of flood protection has been provided.
“The psychological relief to the residents will be immense during periods of heavy rains, this feeling being further reinforced now that the council has procured mobile high-volume pumps. These can be deployed to remove flood waters should they ever threaten to overlap the wall.
“Following the dramatic experiences of June 2007, many residents have been suffering from an underlying fear that their properties would once more be flooded whenever bad weather occurred; with the consequential loss of personal effects and the disturbing need to relocate whilst repairs were been undertaken.”
