East Yorkshire marks completion of UK’s longest glass tidal defence structure

THE longest glass tidal defence structure in the UK, part of a multi-million pound project, has been completed in East Yorkshire.

The innovative glass barrier forms part of a £30m five-year scheme which, when finished, will provide flood protection to more than 14,000 properties in the Hull and East Riding areas.

The project is being delivered by East Riding of Yorkshire Council as the lead flood authority in the area, working with Hull City Council and the Environment Agency, and supported by funding from Defra and the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

The glass wall has been fixed to the existing tidal defence wall, which was built in the 1980s, and is 520 metres long and 1.1-metre high – raising the total barrier to 6.8 metres above sea level.

Designed using 3D physical modelling, it should provide protection against a “one-in-a-200-year-storm event” and its strength was tested by repeatedly dropping a 4.1kg steel ball from a height of nine metres.

Cllr Stephen Parnaby, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council which is the lead flood authority in the Humber, said: “The upgrading of our flood defences is a vital and massive task.

“East Riding of Yorkshire Council has worked very closely with our partners on this particular construction which, combined with the larger overall scheme for Holderness and East Hull, should help to provide flood protection for residents and businesses for many years to come.

“Here at Paull, we could have raised the concrete wall further to help manage the flood risk but we wanted to do something more sympathetic along a river front which is popular with visitors.

“This glass wall will not only act as a flood barrier but it also maintains the vista, with its wonderful, sweeping views over the Humber Estuary.”

Dean Hamblin, senior advisor for flood and coastal risk management at the Environment Agency, said: “The raising of the existing tidal defences along the Paull frontage, using this innovative glass wall design, realises the initial stage of what is a comprehensive flood alleviation scheme looking to address both tidal and inland flood risk for Paull and the surrounding areas of Burstwick, Hedon and Thorngumbald.

“The scheme plays a small part in the £200m of investment that will be made to reduce flood risk in East Yorkshire before 2021.”

The glass wall, which runs from Paull shipyard, behind homes in Main Street, to the former coastguard house in Town End Road, is part of the £3.5m phase 1 of the two-phase Hull and Holderness Flood Alleviation Scheme (HaHFAS).
 

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