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ASEA Flood defence newsletter

Temporary site compound established

A temporary site compound has been established at Old Passage Road near to the village of Aust. Site teams are based here for initial work including ecology and topographical surveys, ground investigation, structural surveys of existing structures and new habitat ponds for great crested newts.

Ecology surveys

  • In April/May we evaluated the areas which would be suitable for Great Crested Newts.  
  • In November we carried out a bat roost inspection at Chestle Pill to enable site investigation.
  • In October surveys on rare plants including moss and lichens were carried out at Lamplighters Marsh - Area 2. 
  • During our walkover surveys in Northwick - Area 5, we have been looking for signs and habitat that would be suitable for water voles. 
  • To support the planning application submitted for the stockpiling (see below for further information on this), wintering bird surveys have been carried out at the former Northwick landfill – Area 1.
  • Bird counts have been carried out at high tide roost sites to enable ground investigation works to proceed within the noise limits set by the planning permission. 
Visit the ASEA Flood Defence webpage

Construction of new habitat ponds for Great Crested Newts

New pond areas for Great Crested Newts are being created to compensate for any habitat loss in the area. The newts will be relocated to the newly created ponds from other areas of the site in accordance with licence conditions. 
Image: Newly excavated Great Crested Newts Ponds in Severnside - Area 1 planted with 3100 marginals, 1200 emergents, 300 pond edge plants and 14 water lilies. 
Visit the ASEA Flood Defence webpage

Land surveys

Land surveys are being carried out over the winter to establish ground levels using drones. The use of drones provides significant advantages over traditional land surveying as it minimises the requirement for land access and allows access to difficult to reach areas. Flight times for drones are timed to avoid high tides so that over-wintering birds are not disturbed.
Image: Drone surveys being carried out within the Bristol Port

Site clearance works

Over the winter, vegetation clearance has started on site to permit access for the enabling works, which includes ecological works, surveys and ground investigation. Ecologists accompany the clearance teams and also survey the areas to be cleared prior to any work starting to ensure that any wildlife present will not be affected by the clearance works.  
Image: Vegetation Clearance works in Lamplighters Marsh

Identification of underground services

Prior to starting any permanent flood defence works on site, extensive trial holes have to be dug to safely locate buried services throughout the site. This has the dual purpose of avoiding damage to services during construction and to identify which services need to be diverted to allow the new works to be safely built.
Trial hole excavation has included the use of a vacuum excavator. This machine avoids the use of hand held tools and reduces the safety risks to operatives of digging around live buried services
Image: Service investigation beneath the M5 using vacuum excavation

Ground Investigation

 To be able to carry out the detailed design of the flood defence structures, detailed knowledge of the underlying ground conditions must be gained. Locally based in Avonmouth, Structural Soils Ltd. have been awarded the sub-contract to provide this information. This involves drilling boreholes through the upper soil layers and down to the underlying mudstones. Works are well advanced on the northern section of project through areas 1 and 3. Ground investigation works within the Bristol Port Company Avonmouth land are expected to start over the next few months.
Image: Ground Investigation Works in Area 1 using a cable percussive drilling rig
Visit the ASEA Flood Defence webpage

New planning application in area 1

The flood defences in Severnside - Area 1, (to the north of the scheme), are predominantly earth embankments. Suitable surplus excavated materials from the habitat creation areas will be used to raise the existing embankments. Using this material maximises the sustainability of the project by reducing lorry movements and reduces  importing new material.

However, we will still need to import additional suitable material to construct the earth embankments. To ensure that the impacts of the importing activities are kept to a minimum a stockpile solution is proposed.

A planning application has been submitted to stockpile the suitable material adjacent to the works in Severnside - Area 1. Stockpiling material in this location will enable the earthworks to be carried out using site based plant reducing the impacts to the A403 and significantly reduce the duration of the works.
Visit the SGC Planning application

Your public liaison officer

BMMJV has appointed Tony Bajjada as Public Liaison Officer for the Project, replacing Murray Ross who previously held this role. Tony is a civil engineer who has twenty five year’s experience in the industry. Tony will be based on site and will be able to resolve any queries on the project for stakeholders, residents and members of the public. 

You can contact Tony at ASEA.PLO@BAMNuttall.co.uk

Upcoming works

  • Following the completion of topographic surveys and ground investigation works in Severnside - Area 1 and Chittening Warth – Area 3, design teams will concentrate on the detailed design of the works in these areas. 
  • Over the next few months, we will begin Ground Investigation works in Lamplighters Marsh and in the Bristol Port Company Avonmouth Docks land - Area 2. Ecological and environmental mitigation works will continue throughout the site.
  • We will also continue with bat surveys in Severnside - Area 1 and continue with badger surveys in Avonmouth Docks - Area 2, and will also be starting badger surveys and bat surveys in Hallen Marsh - Area 4, Great Crested Newts (GCN) surveys will be carried out at the large pond adjacent to Stuppill Rhine – Area 2. 
Visit the ASEA Flood Defence webpage
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