UK Coastal Town’s £42.9m Flood Defences Completed

A £42.9m project to refurbish the flood defences in an seaside port town has been completed.

Nearly 4km (2.5 miles) of flood walls in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, have been updated.

The upgrade should provide protection from tidal flooding to more than 2,100 homes.

Great Yarmouth has a history of flooding, including the 1953 east coast tidal surge, and more recently, in December 2013 and January 2017.

The work, which started in September 2019, saw 40 flood defence walls refurbished at locations across the town, which should extend their lifespan by up to 30 years, the Environment Agency said.

It said less material, lower carbon materials and hybrid power reduced the project’s carbon footprint, and it also created a new inter-tidal saltmarsh to boost biodiversity in the area.

The project was not delayed by the World War Two bomb which exploded in Great Yarmouth in February, the Environment Agency said.

A business case is currently in development for the next stage of the project.