UK Environment Agency completes Northumberland flood protection scheme

More than 250 homes and businesses in Ponteland in Northumberland are better protected from flooding now that UK Environment Agency work on a £2.7 million (US$3.6 million) flood scheme has been completed.

Work to better protect the town started in August 2020 and included replacing the existing flood defences on the south bank of the River Pont with one continuous sheet piled flood wall.

The wall has been built to complement the existing local environment, with a stone effect and complementary colouring, and was created with climate change at the forefront of the design with allowances in the foundations for the walls to be raised in future if needed. The town has also benefitted from environmental enhancements, with a re-profiling of the river bank to create a natural sloped terrace that has been planted with native river corridor plants, boosting local biodiversity.

The contractor, BAM Nuttall, maintained a temporary flood defence throughout construction to uphold flood protection.