Member Article

Contractors appointed to £45 million Leeds flood scheme

Contractor BMM has been appointed to carry out major flood defence works to help protect thousands of homes and businesses in Leeds.

Leeds City Council has awarded the contract to BMM, a joint venture between BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald who will work together with the project team (which includes the Environment Agency, Arup and other organisations) on the main construction work in the city centre and Holbeck.

The £45 million Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme first phase, will see the installation of innovative moveable weirs at Crown Point and at Knostrop which will be the first of their kind to be used in the UK.

BMM will complete design work and then commence work on site at the beginning of January 2015, finishing by March 2017.

Once completed, the defences will provide the city centre and over 3,000 homes and 500 businesses with protection against a one in 75 year flood event from the River Aire and the Hol Beck.

It will also open up regeneration opportunities in the South Bank area, unlocking business growth and development opportunities according to the council.

The Leeds Flood Alleviation scheme is being funded by Leeds City Council, the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defra), the Environment Agency and the Department for Business Industry and Skills (BIS).

Leeds City Council executive member for transport and the economy, Councillor Richard Lewis said: “I’m pleased we have strong partnership and contractual arrangements in place that mean we can get on and carry out this vital work to protect Leeds city centre from the risk of flooding.

“Not only will the new defences protect properties and businesses from floods but they will also have a positive impact on the growth and regeneration of the Leeds economy, particularly the development of the South Bank area.”

Allan Rogers, Environment Agency framework director at BAM Nuttall Ltd, said: “As part of the WEM framework (Water and Environment Management Framework) procurement route of the Environment Agency, we are pleased to secure this significant flood alleviation scheme for Leeds City Council.

“The design and construction contract involves some innovative ‘firsts’ in the UK in the provision of adjustable inflatable weirs.

“BAM Nuttall Mott Macdonald JV worked closely with Leeds and Arup in understanding and securing the contract, and look forward to bringing another significant engineering infrastructure project to life to protect homes and businesses from flooding.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .