The Environment Agency has started work to repair the seals on the glass panels along High Hill in Keswick after they were damaged during the December 2015 floods as part of an extensive £10 million inspection and repair programme in Cumbria.
The panels are designed to be strong enough to withstand the pressure of flood water as well as the impact force of large floating debris such as trees.
The glass panels in Keswick are 2.5m wide and 0.8m high and made up of 4 sheets of glass, 2 inner sheets and 2 outer sheets with an overall thickness 42mm. The panels will be removed, refurbished and replaced in batches of 6. Temporary metal sheets will be fitted while the glass panes are out.
The latest repairs follow the work already undertaken by the Environment Agency to remove gravel washed down the River during the floods.
Floods Minister Rory Stewart said:
“Across Cumbria, the Environment Agency is working hard to repair flood defences and protect homes and businesses.”
“This work in Keswick is part of an extensive £10 million programme in Cumbria that has already seen more than 3,000 flood defences inspected, with around 100 repair projects set to be completed by the autumn. We are also investing over £43million to better protect more than 3,500 homes across the county over the next five years.”
The Cumbria Floods Partnership is now bringing together local authorities, the Environment Agency, land owners and community groups to look at the county’s river catchments as a whole and consider how to better protect the county from flooding in the future.
Kath Tanner, Flood Recovery Manager for the Environment Agency said:
“The repairs to the glass panels in Keswick form an essential part of our wider £10 million programme of work to repair flood defences damaged in the December floods. We plan to complete all of the necessary repairs by autumn 2016.”
A separate piece of work is currently ongoing to investigate the cause and extent of flooding in Keswick and identify ways of reducing local flood risk in the future.
Cumbria County Council is in the process of collating the findings in a ‘Section 19 Flood Investigation Report’, the first draft of which will be shared at a local community meeting next week.
Local residents and businesses are being urged to attend to provide information and have their say on the future of local flood risk management.
Waterbriefing is media partner with the Institution of Civil Engineers keynote Flooding and Water Management Conference 2016 taking place in London on Thursday 30th June. Click here for more information about the conference.
Click here to join the Waterbriefing UK Flood Risk Management Discussion Group on Linkedin
The Silvertown Tunnel’s pumping system is reducing the risk of flooding, delays and costly maintenance, while supporting the long-term resilience of London’s transport network, says Ian Ireland, large pumping projects programme manager, Xylem UK.
In a TV show that will explain the complex journey of the wastewater treatment process, Lakeside Equipment Corporation is set to feature in US Public Television’s All Access program with Andy Garcia.
Environmental Services & Solutions (ESS) Expo, the UK’s largest environmental event, has released the full speaker programme for its 2025 event, which now features seven shows spanning all corners of the environmental sector, under one roof at the NEC Birmingham.
We are exhibiting at WWEM – Water, Wastewater and Environmental Management Expo, which is one of the eight exhibitions taking place at the NEC, Birmingham 17-18 September 2025 as part of ESS Expo 2025. Please come along and visit us at Stand WW-S60.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video. 
What is to be done about the UK’s failing utilities? Listen to Professor Dieter Helm explore the options to tackle the UK’s failing utilities – Thames Water, the Royal Mail and Network Rail in particular.