The Environment Agency is set to deliver a major capital
maintenance project on the northern (left) bank of the Dutch
River, part of the River Don, near Goole.
The construction of the scheme coincides with this year's Flood
Action week, which aims to increase people's understanding of
their flood risk and know what actions they would take in the
event of a flood.
Construction on the project began in early October and will
take approximately 2 years to complete. The construction
programme has been designed to minimise disruption where
possible.
The £17m project, which includes £8.2m in construction costs,
will strengthen around 10km of existing defences.
The work is designed to reduce the likelihood of a failure or
breach and to maintain the current standard of flood protection
for years to come.
The scheme is funded by the Environment Agency alongside its
partner, the Goole Town Deal Board, which has allocated a share
of £25 million in funding awarded to the town by the
Government to drive economic regeneration.
The £3.1 million contribution from Goole Town Deal means that
this work is going ahead much sooner than planned and will
incorporate a ‘greenway corridor' to enable pedestrians and
cyclists to enjoy the great outdoors.
The corridor will extend close to 5 kilometres and be built
alongside and on top of the Dutch River flood defences.
Once complete, the scheme will help protect approximately 10,000
properties in Goole and the surrounding villages and is expected
to deliver £190m in economic benefits while also helping to
create the conditions for further investment and development in
the local area.
The Dutch River has been central to the history of Goole for
nearly 400 years. Originally engineered in the 1620s by Dutch
engineer Cornelius Vermuyden to drain marshland for farming, it
later helped open up trade links by carrying coal from
the South Yorkshire coalfield to the port of Goole.
In the 1800s, engineers developed the innovative “Tom Pudding”
boat system, which became a symbol of Goole's thriving coal
export trade. Today, the river continues to play a
vital role in supporting the local economy.
This new scheme forms part of the Environment Agency's long-term
commitment to reducing flood risk, protecting communities, and
building climate resilience across the country.
Dean Hamblin, Environment Agency Flood and Coastal Risk
Management Senior Advisor, said:
This is a significant investment in the future resilience of
Goole and its neighbouring villages. By strengthening the Dutch
River defences, we are helping to protect thousands of homes and
businesses, while also unlocking wider economic benefits for the
region.
It's a vital step in ensuring communities are better protected
against flooding now and in the future.
, Chair of the Goole Town Deal
Board, said:
It's exciting to see work on this project, one of eight that has
been allocated a share of Goole's Town Deal funding, getting
underway.
The Goole Town Deal funding allocated to this project will be
spent at the Goole end of the Greenway Corridor, and we see this
project as a fantastic opportunity to improve connectivity for
pedestrians and cyclists, as well as helping to give people
better access to the town's waterways, nature and green spaces.
The UK is experiencing more frequent and intense extreme weather
due to climate change. After the first named storm of the season
just over a week ago, communities are warned not to be complacent
about the risk of flooding even though drought is still being
felt in some parts of the country.
Around 6.3 million homes and businesses are in areas at risk of
flooding in England from rivers, the sea or surface
water.
Click here to learn more about how you can prepare for flooding:
Prepare for flooding: Protect
yourself from future flooding - GOV.UK
