Broadland flood alleviation project, Norfolk Broads
About the Project
- Client: Environment Agency
- Principal designer: Halcrow Group
- Principal contractor: Edmund Nuttall
- Contract value: £3.8 million
The Broads river system in the east of England contains some 240 kilometres of earth and sheet piled flood defences, with an average residual life of 5-10 years. They protect around 30,000 hectares of valuable habitat and grazing marsh, of which a quarter is designated under European law.
This three-year project is part of a 20 year flood alleviation scheme from the Environment Agency, and involved setting back defences to enable sheet piled defences that have reached the end of their useful life to be replaced with a softer, more sustainable reeded edge.
Normally such defences are being set back around 25 metres to provide in excess of 50 years' residual life to the new defence. Here, however, to promote more open water, the bank was set back by a further 25-50 metres. The scheme succeeded thanks mainly to the collocation of contractor, designer and client so issues could be sorted out quickly and efficiently, but also reflected a long-term strategic approach. And, finally, it was helped by the formation of strong partnerships with the local community.
The judges said: 'The irony of water presenting a problem for the Norfolk Broads was not lost on us. The thorough analysis informed an effective but sensitive response.'
