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ASEA Flood defence newsletter
29 September 2022

Progress and news update
 

Joint message from the lead project partners

We're excited to bring you the latest news from the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project. The summer has been busy and you can read all about the project's extensive progress below.

This summer has also seen several apprentices and graduates join the team, making the most of the wonderful training opportunities the project offers. They share their stories in a short video that you can see below.  The project team also thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the Severn Beach centenary celebrations with displays in a local history exhibition.

When completed in 2026-2027, the project will reduce flood risk to 2,500 homes and businesses and help to unlock 12,000 new jobs for the West of England. It will also create a minimum of 80 hectares of new wetland habitat for birds along the internationally important Severn Estuary. 

Nicola Beech

Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Resilience and Flood Strategy, Bristol City Council



Dan Norris
West of England Mayor

Cllr Toby Savage

Leader of South Gloucestershire Council and Cabinet Member for Local Economy and Devolution



Emma Baker
Area Director
Environment Agency 

Growing young talent

Several young apprentices and graduate trainees are starting their careers on the ASEA project with the Environment Agency and contractors Bam Nuttall and Mott MacDonald. Watch our apprentice Sophie talk about her experience below.
Sophie talks about her experience as an apprentice on the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project.

Helping celebrate Severn Beach’s centenary

The team took part in the Pilning and Severn Beach History Group’s exhibition in June, one of the Severn Beach centenary celebration events. As part of this fascinating exhibition, we provided a display and handouts which showed the history of flooding and flood defences in the area. Read the full story here.
Above: Pilning and Severn Beach History Group with images showing the history of flooding and flood defences in the area.

Flood defence trial embankment: savings on cost and carbon

A project flood defence trial embankment has made significant savings on cost and carbon, new research has revealed.  The trial embankment at Aust was part of initial ground investigation work. The research, by Gareth Mason, Geotechnical Project Lead, at Mott MacDonald (part of the BMMJV), was presented to the International Symposium on Field Monitoring in Geotechnics in London earlier this month. Read the full story here

Progress update

Passage Road area to New Passage

What’s happened

We have finished structural concrete works in preparation for new floodgates that will close in the event of flooding. These will minimise the risk to nearby properties. We’ve also completed the placing of fill material to the Northwick Wharf flood embankment.
Above: Passage Road flood defence wall with habitat shelves installed. 
What’s next?

We’ll install the floodgates shortly. We’re also preparing for tree planting ahead of the autumn and winter planting season.​ We’ll be completing fencing and landscaping between Passage Road and New Passage. We plan to finish construction work between Aust and New Passage this winter.
Severn Beach area
What’s happened

We’ve completed the installation of precast concrete flood defence walls to the south of Severn Beach and have reopened footpaths to the public. We’ve also finished earthworks and maintenance track to the earth embankment between the precast wall at Severn Beach South and the wall at the outfall pipelines north of New Pill.

We’ve removed the temporary piling mat and reinstated topsoil next to the sheet piled flood defence wall. The reinforced concrete flood defence wall has been constructed around the outfall pipeline.

Above: Completed flood defence wall at Severn Beach
What’s next?

We’ll start further landscaping works later in the autumn.​

Avonmouth Docks
What’s happened

We’ve installed large boulders, known as rock armour, at Holes Mouth Outfall, near Bristol Port. Holes Mouth Outfall is operated and maintained by Wessex Water Services Limited and discharges water treated by its dedicated Water Recycling Centre. It is critical that this infrastructure is protected from erosion. We’ve installed around 5,000 tonnes of ‘rock armour’. You can watch a short video of the rock armour installation here.
We’ve also nearly finished installing the sheet piled flood defence wall at the docks. We’re placing precast units along the River Avon within the port and currently progressing the precast wall within the ALGECO compound. We are liaising closely with the Bristol Port Company as this work progresses. ​
What’s next

We’ll finish the earth embankment south of Holes Mouth and continue to work on the flood defence along the Port Road adjacent to the Severn Estuary.
Lamplighter’s Marsh
What’s happened

We’ve excavated and disposed of Japanese Knotweed, an invasive plant, at Lamplighter’s Marsh and installed a membrane to prevent regrowth.

We’ve placed fill material to create a flood embankment. Wessex Water has completed the diversion of its critical service within the area.

We have completed the structural concrete works in preparation for installation of the flood gate.  We also began excavation works along the line of the proposed precast flood defence wall beneath the M5 bridge.​

The entrance to Lamplighter’s Marsh from under the M5 bridge is restricted to allow safe construction of the flood defences.  We understand that the alternative diversion route along the Portway is next to a busy road so we will continually review the closure and are working to reopen as soon as possible when it’s safe.  

What’s next

We will construct a precast flood defence wall and install a flood gate.
Wetlands
What’s happened

At both Hallen and Northwick we have completed the earthworks and all ditch crossings and flow control structures.  
What’s next

We’ll start landscaping works shortly and also create more networks of natural new refuges for local wildlife.​
Temporary road and footpath closure

To deliver the vital flood defences, works to construct flood ramps and associated structures will mean part of Passage Road will remain closed until later this year. The road closure is between the southern junction of Passage Road with the A403 and just beyond the entrance to BMMJV’s former site compound, south of the junction with Aust Wharf Road. 

A diversion route is currently in place for both vehicles and cyclists, and an alternative footpath diversion route is signposted. 

We have had to close sections of the Severnway footpath between Aust and Chittening. Project partners Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council, the Environment Agency, and the West of England Combined Authority have worked together to ensure that other footpaths remain open to provide alternative routes.

Full details, including maps, can be found here.   

Engaging with you

We have continued to meet regularly with stakeholders through our Economic Development and Environment Forum and local community groups through our Community forum.

Unlocking future economic growth

A key purpose of the flood defences is to enable the mix of potential development sites in ASEA to become viable for commercial development and generate 12,000 new jobs by 2026. You can find out more about this potential opportunity in our short video.

Our website

Visit our website for the latest news and project progress as well as other important updates.

Contact us  

Email us at ASEA.PLO@BAMNuttall.co.uk
Visit the ASEA Flood Defence webpage
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