The Environment Agency has pledged between £3.5 million to £5 million to restore the flood protection to Matlock, Derbyshire with a long-term solution to reinstate the River Derwent flood defences to protect 50 homes and businesses from flooding.

Preparatory work is expected to start in early June – the essential works will pave the way for the main construction work due to begin in summer to replace the flood wall behind businesses in Crown Square, Matlock that collapsed after this year’s February storms.

The longer-term work to reinstate the River Derwent flood defences follows a temporary measure that the Environment Agency carried out last month in which 100 2-tonne rock-filled bags were transferred by crane into the River Derwent, adding to the 50 bags that were placed there in February to reduce erosion and limit damage to the Environment Agency flood wall.

Naomi Doughty, Project Manager for the Environment Agency, said:

“It’s great that funding for this major work has been secured to protect 50 homes and businesses in Matlock from flooding.

“We have started to design an engineered solution to replace the collapsed wall that is likely to be delivered in multiple construction phases. We aim to have the bulk of the work in place before the winter. We’re keeping a close eye on the construction programme and the need to consider temporary measures as a contingency plan.

“We then expect to continue work in stages throughout 2023 so we can make the structure look more aesthetically pleasing and in-keeping with the local character and heritage of Matlock.”

Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Kewal Athwal Singh, said:

I’m pleased to see that the Environment Agency has found the money to fix this important part of the flood defences for Matlock …. this work needs doing as soon as possible to protect homes and businesses."

The initial cost estimates are put at between £3.5 milliion to £5 million due to access being severely restricted which is likely to necessitate a large crane to lift plant and materials into place. The initial cost estimates will be refined as the design process takes shape and more detailed plans are developed.

Following the collapse of a privately owned wall in February this year, the Environment Agency instructed Jackson Civil Engineering to complete an immediate repair by placing over 50 rock-filled bags in the River Derwent using a large crane situated on the A6. These emergency works were completed within 24 hours of the wall collapsing due to a forecast of further high-water levels on the River Derwent.

Further flood prevention work was carried out in April which involved lifting an additional 100 2-tonne rock-filled bags by a large crane situated on the A6 into the River Derwent to reduce erosion and limit damage to an Environment Agency flood wall that sits next to the privately owned wall that has collapsed.

At the same time, a survey team gathered valuable geological information to inform the longer-term engineering solution.