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ASEA Flood defence newsletter
20 February 2023

Progress and news update
 

Joint message from the lead project partners

Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project.  

We bring you the latest updates on the project’s impressive progress, and exciting news on new flood gates, thriving wildlife, community activity, team accolades and plenty of other stories. Please read on below. 

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 

Commissioning of new flood gates and glass panels  

In an important milestone for the project, we have commissioned new flood gates and glass panel defences at New Passage. Weighing over a tonne, these flood gates are an important part of the flood defence scheme along the coastline, designed to hold back a huge weight of water and allow access for the public and maintenance activities through mechanical operation.  

Our contractors conducted a ‘wet-test’ as part of the commissioning, pumping two tonnes of water behind the gate into a ‘shutter’ setup while site staff observed carefully for any leaks. We repeated the same process on a section of the glass panel flood defences at New Passage.

Watch our short video of the test below.

Join us for spring cycle ride on reopened route 

Looking forward to getting back in the saddle this spring?
Why not join us on a spring cycle ride to mark the reopening of National Cycle Network Route 4 along Passage Road in South Gloucestershire following our vital flood defence works. It promises to be a fun day out for everyone.

If you are interested, please email us at aseaproject@jbp.co.uk and we will be in touch with more details nearer the time.

Birds thrive on project sites 

We’ve spotted some wonderful birds on the project sites this winter, including Dunlins, Gadwall, Turnstones and Wigeon. Last month, ornithologists gathered data on the birds that are visiting areas throughout the Severn Estuary.

At New Passage, the survey recorded over 10,000 Dunlins, a small wader bird that winters in estuaries throughout the UK, and which has never been recorded here in such numbers before. At Holes Mouth we spotted 30 Gadwall.

Read the full story here

Above: A Gadwall, 30 of which are overwintering at Holes Mouth

ASEA project shortlisted for LGC Awards

We are very excited that the project has been shortlisted for the LGC Awards 2023 in the Climate Response category. These prestigious awards are the biggest celebration of excellence in local government. The winners will be announced at the LGC Awards on Thursday 8 June so fingers crossed!

To find out more about the awards go to https://tinyurl.com/33tjmtrd

Contractor awarded top marks from Considerate Constructors Scheme  

Our contractor BMMJV has received the maximum marks against the listed criteria from the Considerate Constructors Scheme after the scheme’s independent monitors assessed the site and team. The aim of the scheme is to raise standards and build public trust in the construction industry.

Read the full story here.

Young apprentice wins top industry award 

One of our young apprentice stars, Sophie Rice, has won an award at the New Civil Engineer Graduate and Apprentice Awards. Sophie is studying at the Leeds College of Building for her Level 4 HNC in construction as a civil engineer. As part of her apprenticeship, she has also been working on the ASEA project site with the team throughout the past year as part of the Bam Nuttall apprenticeship programme.

Read more here.
You can also watch Sophie talking about her career here

Above: Sophie at the Institute of Civil Engineers in London

Contractor raises money for local children’s hospice

Our contractor BMMJV has raised £1284 for the local Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home charity, which works to provide care and support to those children and their families who suffer with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.

Find out more here.

Progress update

Passage Road area to New Passage

What’s happened

Despite a very wet autumn and winter, we have continued to progress the works in this section. We have installed flood gates at the north end of Aust Wharf Road, Passage Road and at New Passage (see the story on commissioning above). Along Aust Wharf Road we have installed new kerbs and resurfaced the footpath and part of the carriageway. We have also progressed the fencing and landscaping works along the flood embankments and surfaced the flood ramps on Passage Road.  

The construction of the maintenance access track and footpaths along the main flood embankment between Cake Pill and Chestle Pill is substantially complete. We are also replacing mechanical equipment and improving access at the outfall structures.  

Above: Glass panels installed at New Passage
What’s next?

We’re looking forward to fully completing works in the spring on this northern end of the project at Passage Road which will include reopening National Cycle Network Route 4. At Northwick Warth we will complete the snagging and landscaping works before reopening the footpaths in the area. 

Severn Beach area
What’s happened

We have kept the footpath open along the length of the precast concrete flood defence walls to the south of Severn Beach and removed the temporary fencing from the area opposite Riverside Park.  

We have progressed the construction of the maintenance access track from the south of Severn Beach through to New Pill outfall in addition to landscaping works in this area.  

At New Pill outfall, we have constructed improved maintenance access paths and steps and we are refurbishing the mechanical equipment.  

What’s next?

We will complete the installation of mechanical equipment and landscaping at New Pill Outfall and Severn Beach. 

Avonmouth Docks
What’s happened

We have completed the placing of fill material to the north of Stupp Pill outfall. At Holes Mouth we have continued the construction of the maintenance access ramp and steps.  

South of Holes Mouth we have successfully completed the removal and disposal of Japanese Knotweed. This has allowed us to begin the next section of earth flood embankment.  

At Kings Weston Outfall we have installed new flap valves. We have also started placing rock armour to protect the structure and are constructing a new maintenance access ramp and steps to improve access. Along the bank of the River Avon, we have completed the installation of the sheet piled and precast concrete flood defence walls and progressed the backfill on both faces of the flood defence wall. We have constructed a pedestrian maintenance access strip next to the wall.   

Along Port Road, which is next to the Severn Estuary and north of Kings Weston Outfall, we have constructed a temporary diversion road and installed a temporary flood defence. This has allowed us to start removing the existing flood defence wall in this area.​   

Above: Precast flood defence wall installation along River Avon
What’s next

We will restart works to construct the earth embankments at both Chittening Warth and south of Holes Mouth in the spring. We will also complete landscaping and finishing works along the River Avon and progress the flood defence around the operational Avonmouth Docks.   

Lamplighter’s Marsh
What’s happened

We have successfully installed the flood gate at the entrance to Lamplighter's Marsh and completed the placing of fill material to the flood embankment. We started placing some of the precast flood defence units. We halted the installation of the precast units while we refurbished existing pipelines which pass beneath the flood defence works. 

We were pleased to be able to re-open a temporary footpath access into Lamplighter’s Marsh at the Avonmouth end before Christmas. We recognise this is an important green space for the local community. Read more here

What’s next

Now that the pipeline refurbishment is complete, we will complete the remaining section of the precast wall at Lamplighter’s Marsh. We will be installing precast concrete planks to protect the pipelines. Construction of a maintenance access track and reinstatement of the footpath will begin.   

In the spring we will start the landscaping works including seeding of the flood embankment and planting area.  

Wetlands
What’s happened

At both Hallen Marsh and Northwick Wetlands we have been progressing the landscaping works, including planting and seeding. The planting works will be completed shortly although seeding of some areas will be repeated in the spring. We have installed fencing to protect the planting areas. 

We are continuing to create a network of natural new refuges for local wildlife.  These are a series of underground chambers for amphibians and reptiles.

What’s next

There will be further landscaping works in the next planting season. In the spring we will carry out some additional earthworks at the north end of the Northwick wetland.

Footpath News

Following recent flood defence works, we have reopened part of the Lamplighter’s Marsh Public Right of Way (PRoW). We recognise the need for the community to access the full PRoW, enjoying all that the Lamplighter’s Nature Reserve has to offer.
We are pleased to have been able to work in partnership with the community in reopening the Avonmouth end of the PRoW.

Read more here.

Engaging with you

We are looking forward to welcoming a local community group for a tour of the project site next month. If your community group would like a visit too, then please get in touch at aseaproject@jbp.co.uk 

We have continued to meet regularly with local community groups through our Community Forum. We are planning our next Economic Development and Environment Forum for the spring. 

  

Unlocking future economic growth

A key purpose of the flood defences is to enable the mix of industrial and former industrial areas and other 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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