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Council Cabinet Members Visit ASEA Flood Defence Project

ASEA Team

Members of South Gloucestershire Council’s new cabinet visited the ASEA Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project in September to learn about the project and see its significant progress for themselves. Once complete, the project will deliver 17km of flood defences from Aust in South Gloucestershire to Shirehampton in Bristol.

The five councillors from the new Liberal Democrat-Labour coalition enjoyed a minibus tour of key project sites in South Gloucestershire between Severn Beach and Aust.

Council Leader Cllr Claire Young, Co-Leader Cllr Ian Boulton, Co-Members for Climate and Nature Emergency, Cllr Louise Harris and Cllr Alex Doyle, and Cabinet Member for Planning, Regeneration, and Infrastructure, Cllr Chris Willmore were led on the tour by Tony Bajjada from BMMJV, the joint venture between engineering contractors BAM Nuttall and Mott Macdonald, and the project’s client representative, Ursula Stevenson.

Councillors looking at the new hybrid glass flood defence panel at New Passage
The councillors at the start of their tour at Severn Beach

The councillors started their tour at the precast flood defence wall at Severn Beach. They then saw the new hybrid glass flood defence panel at New Passage, outfall structures at Cake Pill Outfall, raised embankments at Passage Road, and new wetlands created at Northwick. 

With an opportunity to ask questions about all aspects of the scheme, the councillors learned more about this key infrastructure project and its benefits for the West of England economy.

Council Leader, Cllr Claire Young, said: “This project is vital for protecting our coastal communities and unlocking economic growth for the region. As well as learning how flood risk in South Gloucestershire is being reduced, it was great to see the upgraded walking routes and new wetlands which are being created in the area. We were grateful to get the chance to see the scheme up close and look forward to its completion in the coming years.”

Ursula Stevenson said: “We’ve made great progress on the project in the past few years, so we really valued the chance to show the new South Gloucestershire Council cabinet members our work. The flood defences and ecological mitigations we’re  putting in place will benefit local businesses, residents, and wildlife for years to come, so it’s important that local decision-makers see first-hand what a difference we’re making. The day was a great success, and the project team would like to thank the councillors for joining the tour.”

Councillors viewing the outfall structures at Cake Pill
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Helping Spruce Up the Severn: Litter Pick

Helping Spruce Up the Severn: Litter Pick

Members of our project team were delighted to take part in a community litter pick on 24th September at Severn Beach in South Gloucestershire. Thirty five people, including Pilning & Severn Beach Parish Council chairman Alderman Peter Tyzack, litter picked as part of the Great British Beach Clean 2021 Week, and Spruce Up the Severn initiatives.

The Severn Beach area will benefit from new flood defences as part of the ASEA project. New flood defence walls to the north of Severn Beach are now largely complete. There has been significant progress too on the installation of new flood defence walls to the south.​  

Overall, the project will provide 17km of improved flood defences when complete in 2026/2027, from Lamplighters Marsh in the south to Aust in the north, reducing flood risk to around 2,500 homes and businesses. The defences will supplement existing flood barriers and help protect the area from the increased risk of flooding from climate change and rising sea levels.

The project will also create a minimum of 80ha, the equivalent of 112 football pitches, of new wetland habitats to support the internationally important Severn Estuary’s bird species, and improve walking routes.

The project is a partnership between South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency.

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News Why ASEA

Chair of West of England LEP: Why flood defence project is so important for economy

Chair of West of England LEP: Why flood defence project is so important for economy

As the economy opens up again, Richard Bonner, Chair of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, discusses the long-term plans to protect the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area from flooding and why this work is so important to the regional economy’

The £80 million Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project is the biggest flood defence project and ecology project in the West of England’s history.

Work is now well underway on a package of flood defence measures along 17km of coastline – from Lamplighters Marsh in the south to Aust in the north – to reduce flood risk to 2,500 homes and businesses. This work will help to unlock up to 12,000 new jobs in the West of England by 2026 -2027.

This project creates great impetus for economic development in our region. It’s a huge boost – without it the Enterprise Area cannot come forward.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the works with other partners and seeing the brilliant progress being made is impressive. We’re really pleased to see so much being delivered.

With funding of £63m from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, administered by the West of England Combined Authority, we’re supporting the partnership work of South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency. Other funding sources are the Government’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid, and Local Levy raised by the Wessex Regional Flood and Coastal Committee.

These new flood defences will supplement existing flood barriers and help protect the area from the increased risk of flooding caused by climate change and rising sea levels. The defences will ensure the reduction of flood risk for at least 60 years – something which our region’s business and political leaders are confident will lead to even more significant investment in the Enterprise Area. The West of England’s recovery plan has a focus on a green recovery with sustainable opportunities for all. We’re working hard to provide businesses with the confidence that their plans for new jobs and investment will not be dampened by flooding concerns.

Situated near the M5 and M49 motorways, the Enterprise Area is a prime location for business – it’s perfectly-placed as an economic gateway between England and Wales, as well as between the Midlands and the South West.

From an ecological perspective, the project will improve flood defences and enhance the natural environment on the internationally important Severn Estuary– creating at least 80 hectares of coastal wetland habitats for bird species. It will also improve walking routes, making it easier for everyone to enjoy nature and the spectacular views of the Severn Estuary. This will be a huge boost for people’s physical and mental health.

We’ve already seen a great advance towards making the Enterprise Area a reality. I look forward to witnessing the forthcoming developments, with even more flood defence work and innovative technology in the pipeline. This will help us deliver the reassurances to businesses that the West of England is the premier location for their investment.

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What a hoot! Baby owls discovered at Hallen Marsh

What a hoot! Baby owls discovered at Hallen Marsh

News release 27 July 2021. Ecologists working on the Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecological Mitigation and Flood Defence project are thrilled to have discovered three new barn owl chicks at Hallen Marsh, north of Bristol. Lead ecologist Kath Thorne and ornithologist Ed Drewitt found the feathery trio last week, nesting in one of two boxes they had installed.

Work at Hallen Marsh is part of the project’s creation of a minimum of 80 hectares (the equivalent of around 112 football pitches) of new wetland habitats for the internationally important Severn Estuary’s bird species

Kath said: “We installed the owl boxes away from our new wetlands working area in disused buildings and a nearby tree so they could nest without being disturbed. We are all so pleased and excited that the owls have successfully raised these three chicks.“

Kath and Ed have since ringed, weighed and determined the age of the chicks. They will send the records to the British Trust for Ornithology

Along with the new wetlands, the £80m ASEA Ecological Mitigation and Flood Defence project will provide 17km of improved flood defences when complete in 2026/2027, from Lamplighters Marsh in the south to Aust in the north. The defences will supplement existing flood barriers and help protect the area from the increased risk of flooding from climate change and rising sea levels, reducing flood risk to around 2,500 homes and businesses.

The project will boost the regional and national economy by enabling development within the 1,800 hectare Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area, helping to unlock 12,000 new jobs by 2026.

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News Why ASEA

Major Flood Defence Project Progress Impresses West of England Leaders

Major Flood Defence Project Progress Impresses West of England Leaders

Leaders from across the West of England this week saw first-hand the significant progress being made on the Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecological Mitigation and Flood Defence project, including extensive new flood defence walls at Severn Beach.

Leader of South Gloucestershire Council and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Climate Change, Councillor Toby Savage; Councillor Nicola Beech, Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology, Waste and Energy at Bristol City Council; Emma Baker, Area Director Wessex, Environment Agency; and Richard Bonner, Chair of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, visited the project at several sites.

The tour included a site to the south of Severn Beach. Approximately a kilometre of concrete flood defence wall has been placed here and to the north of Severn Beach. The walls consist of 428 units, all of which were precast offsite, meaning they were put in quickly and with the minimum of disruption.

The largest of its kind in the region, the project will provide 17km of improved flood defences when complete in 2026/2027, from Lamplighters Marsh in the south to Aust in the north, reducing flood risk to around 2,500 homes and businesses. The defences will supplement existing flood barriers and help protect the area from the increased risk of flooding from climate change and rising sea levels.

The project will also create a minimum of 80ha, the equivalent of 112 football pitches, of new wetland habitats to protect internationally important bird species, and improve walking routes.
The £80m project will boost the regional and national economy by enabling development within the Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area, helping unlock 12,000 new jobs by 2026. The project is a partnership between South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency.

Cllr Toby Savage said: “We’ve come together with Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency on this project to protect people’s homes and businesses from flooding. The project will also boost and restore natural environments and help people enjoy spectacular views of the Severn Estuary.”

Cllr Nicola Beech said: “It is fantastic to see the scale of the project. These defences will protect thousands of homes and make our city more resilient to climate change. Importantly, it will also provide a huge boost to nature and wildlife by creating 80ha of new wetland habitats to protect internationally important bird species in the Severn Estuary and planting hundreds of native trees that will improve the environment for many years to come.“

So far, other achievements for the project, which started work on site last summer, include:
• Flood defence wall works at Passage Road, Aust: trial embankment complete
• New wetland habitat at Northwick – nearly three-quarters of the work complete
• Progress on improvements at Cake Pill and Chestle Pill to raise the outfall structures.

Emma Baker said: “Climate change is already happening, bringing greater flood risk to large parts of Avonmouth and Severnside. This project will protect not only present but future generations and it’s really exciting to see such progress. The Severn Estuary is internationally important for its habitats for birds and over 80 hectares of wetlands will provide safe roosts for the over wintering birds during high tides on the estuary.”

Funding has come from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, administered by the West of England Combined Authority. Other funding sources are the Government’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid, and Local Levy raised by the Wessex Regional Flood and Coastal Committee.

Richard Bonner said: “This project creates great impetus for economic development in the region. It’s a huge boost – without it the enterprise area cannot come forward. Having the opportunity to visit the works with other partners and see the brilliant progress made is impressive. We’re really pleased to see so much being delivered.”


ENDS
ACCOMPANYING IMAGE: CAPTION (From left to right): Richard Bonner, Chair of the West of England LEP; Emma Baker, Area Director Wessex, Environment Agency; Councillor Nicola Beech, Cabinet Member for Climate, Ecology, Waste and Energy at Bristol City Council; and Councillor Toby Savage, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, visit the Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecological Mitigation and Flood Defence project site south of Severn Beach.
Media enquiries: Contact the communications team at South Gloucestershire Council on: Telephone: 01454 863200. Email: strategiccommunications@southglos.gov.uk
Find out more:
• Subscribe to our quarterly e-newsletter by emailing
ASEA@environment-agency.gov.uk

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Progress Update

Joint message from the lead project partners

We’re excited to share news with you on the tremendous progress being made so far this year on the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project, the biggest of its type in the West of England. The project covers an extensive area, stretching from Aust in the north to Lamplighters Marsh in the south. 

When the project is complete in 2026/27 we will have: 

  • Provided around a 17km length of flood defence, reducing flood risk to 2,500 homes and businesses 
  • Helped to unlock 12,000 new jobs for the West of England 
  • Created a minimum of 80 hectares of new wetland habitats for internationally important bird species   
  • Created improved walking routes, making it easier for everyone to enjoy nature and the spectacular views of the Severn Estuary. 

We welcome your feedback. Let us know, too, if there is a future topic that you would like covered in this e-newsletter. 

Progress Update

Since the beginning of the year, and despite the challenges of Covid-19, we have made substantial progress.  

Delivering flood protection

In the north of the project area, we are installing a flood defence wall at Aust Wharf Road and expect to complete this work by this winter. We have installed a new filter drainage system at Passage Road and are constructing ramps to cross the road. Improvements to existing earth embankment flood defences are in progress from Passage Road to New Passage and will be completed in autumn 2022. We are also working at Cake Pill outfall to raise the structure and expect to complete this section of work in the summer.

Above: Raising the outfall structure at Cake Pill 

Above: Ongoing flood defence work at Severn Beach North 

Wetland Progress

Above: A curlew typical of those found in the Severn Estuary

A vital element of the project is the creation of new and sustainable wetland habitats to protect and secure the future of the internationally important bird species who make their homes on the Severn Estuary. Work is in progress and, by the end of the year, we will have created wetlands at both Northwick and Hallen Marsh. We are constructing new ponds, areas of shallow water, and ‘high-tide roosts’ for birds. 

Footpaths: temporary closure 

So that we can construct the new flood defence walls and ramps, sections of the Severn Way footpath between Aust and Chittening are temporarily closed. There will be a phased reopening of the footpath to allow completed sections to be reopened as works progress. The finished project will include footpath improvements.

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. A map with full details of the diversions and closures is available here.

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Update: A year of delivery – a plan for even more

Update: A year of delivery – a plan for even more

Joint message from the lead project partners 

Despite the most challenging circumstances, we are moving forwards with the most significant flood defence and ecology project that the West of England has ever seen. Our contractors, BMMjv, introduced a range of safety measures so that construction work could continue throughout the Covid-19 restrictions. And to great effect. Over the past year, we have made excellent progress to start the construction of the 17km of flood defences that will reduce flood risk to 2,500 homes and businesses and help to unlock 12,000 new jobs for our region. 

 

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Construction of the first phase of the flood defence scheme begins this summer

Construction of the first phase of the flood defence scheme begins this summer

This summer BMMjv will start construction on the first phase of the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence scheme, following the preparation works undertaken in summer 2019. BMMjv will be undertaking improvement works to the existing earth embankments between Aust Wharf Road and the Cake Pill outfall structure which runs parallel with Passage Road. The material to raise the embankments is being stored nearby just off the A403 (part of Area 1)…

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Covid-19 update from BMMjv

Covid-19 update from BMMjv

In these challenging times, we wanted to update you on how we are progressing works on site.

Throughout this project our guiding principle is to do what is right – right for employees, right for our customers, and right for society. 

Following the outbreak of Covid-19 in the UK, the Government announced that key sectors should continue to work. This work included construction of flood defences which were identified as essential infrastructure projects. We, and the rest of our industry, are doing whatever required to comply with the Government’s instruction, with people working for as long as is safely possible…

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Temporary site compound established

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.