Member Article

Contractor appointed for Sheffield flood defence scheme

Carillion has been named as the contractor chosen to carry out the works to enhance the protection of Sheffield’s Lower Don Valley from major flooding.

The £19m flood protection project, which spreads over an eight kilometre stretch between the Wicker and the M1 motorway, is already well advanced.

Channel maintenance works are already underway and design work, planning approvals and site preparation are close to completion for the physical defences.

Sheffield City Council is leading the project, and is working in partnership with Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, local businesses, and the Environment Agency.

The Chamber of Commerce is chairing a BID steering group and will keep all stakeholders regularly updated about the programme of works.

The project is funded by public sector funding from DEFRA and the Environment Agency, plus an annual contribution from over 250 organisations through a Business Improvement District (BID).

This is the first flood defence project in the UK to incorporate a BID as a means of funding a capital scheme. Similarly, this is the first BID in the UK to be used to fund any type of capital construction project, as opposed to traditional service-oriented BIDs like the one that is due to be delivered in the city centre.

Councillor Terry Fox, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport at Sheffield City Council, said: “Carillion have been appointed to lead on this vitally important work in the Lower Don Valley. As we saw in 2007, flooding devastates communities and can ruin homes and businesses. The Council is absolutely determined to do all we can to reduce the risk of flooding.

“Taking account of climate change over the next 50 years, around 6,000 households and 2,000 businesses in our city will be at increased risk of flooding, so we have to get ready now. This could cost the local economy up to £1 billion as well as proving catastrophic for residents and businesses.

“The new flood defences will raise the standard of protection to a ‘one in 100 year’ event, which exceeds the insurance industry’s minimum requirements of protection. A key benefit of this project is that it should help businesses secure flood insurance and benefit from reduced insurance premiums and excesses.

“This scheme will protect 500 businesses and 5,000 employees in the Lower Don Valley. Without this initiative jobs could be lost and valuable investment turned away from the city.

“This is why I am delighted we are pressing ahead with this work. We will do our very best to reduce the risk of Sheffield flooding now and into the future.”

Martin Black, Carillion project manager said: “Carillion is delighted to have been appointed to carry out this high profile and important project. This is a complex programme of work and once complete it will provide protection from flooding for hundreds of businesses which employ around 5,000 people in the area.

“This is part of our continuing relationship with Sheffield where Carillion has a major presence through our work on the BRT Tinsley Link and our customer experience centre.”

Work on the Lower Don Valley scheme will begin later this summer and will take around 18 months to complete.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .