Construction work on the £18 million Newhaven flood alleviation scheme has started after 2 years of development including consultation with the local community.
After a competitive tendering process, the Environment Agency has employed the services of contractors JacksonHyder to carry out design and construction of the scheme.
The Newhaven flood alleviation scheme has been developed in partnership with Lewes District Council, East Sussex County Council, the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and South East LEP to reduce the flood risk to approximately 431 homes and 387 commercial properties by significantly improving the standard of existing tidal defences in the East Sussex town.
Gordon Wilson, Environment Agency Area Flood and Coastal Risk Manager, said:
“When the whole project is complete in 2019, the scheme will reduce the tidal flood risk to hundreds of homes and a significant number of commercial properties in the area, as well as protecting important local infrastructure such as the road network, railway tracks and the train station.”
The Coast to Capital LEP and South East LEP are each contributing £1.5 million, as part of their wider commitment to regeneration in Newhaven. The funding has allowed the scheme to start construction in January 2017.
Floods Minister Thérèse Coffey described the scheme as a great example of the Government’s commitment to better protect the Sussex coast from the kind of devastating flooding experienced in 2013.
Waterbriefing is media partner with the Environment Agency’s major three-day conference and exhibition Flood and Coast 2017 which takes place from 28th to 30th March 2017 in Telford. Click here for more information
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