Jacobs and Bam Nuttall complete 20-year Norfolk flood defence project
03 Sep, 2021 By Rob Horgan
Jacobs and Bam Nuttall have completed their 20-year project to improve flood defences in a key wetland in Norfolk.
The £140M Environment Agency contract has seen 240km of flood defences upgraded in the Broads National Park.
The project was carried out to provide protection from the River Yare, River Bure and River Waveney and their tributaries.
Under the agreement, Jacobs acted as consultant and BAM Nuttall as contractor, working together in a joint venture as Broadland Environmental Services Ltd (BESL).
Scope included responsibility for design, consultation, statutory approvals, strategy development, implementation (including construction works to improve the assets) and monitoring.
Following completion of the improvement works, the flood defence systems and assets continued to be maintained by BESL until May 2021.
Jacobs People & Places Solutions senior vice president for Europe and Digital Strategies Donald Morrison said: “The Broadland Flood Alleviation Project will leave a significant legacy – safeguarding land and communities from flood, protecting local economic activity and providing an enhanced natural environment.
“The project’s success demonstrates that large-scale improvement schemes with a strategic approach to improving existing flood defences can be accomplished within a nationally and internationally important wetland area. The close collaboration within the core delivery team and stakeholder and landowner involvement in the detailed phases of public consultation has been central to the success of this project.”
Key project stats:
240km of flood banks have been upgraded, 36km of land realigned inland.
1,700 properties and five previously undefended communities, rail and road infrastructure systems, important archaeological and built heritage structural remains, and several recreational facilities are now better protected from flooding.
Major transport links have also benefited including the A47 and Norwich-Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft railway lines.
24,000ha of agricultural land and 28 designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are protected from being breached by floodwaters.
About 3km of overhead electric cables are now underground
28km of hard, piled edges removed and replaced with soft reeded fringes.