AROUND 800 Newport properties will be better protected against flooding following a new flood prevention scheme at Tredegar Park.

The work on the Newport council fields was carried out by Newbridge Construction Limited with support from Natural Resources Wales on April 8, as part of an ongoing flood relief scheme to create a large storage reservoir on the opposite side of the M4 motorway.

Properties expected to benefit from the new scheme include residential homes in the surrounding area, a number of businesses and Duffryn High school.

The flood prevention work at the park’s sports fields involved moving the position of the original bank around one kilometre to increase the channel capacity of the river.

The original flood scheme at Tredegar Park was developed during the 1970’s by the Usk River Board, but following plans to redevelop the former Tredegar Park Golf Club, it was identified that flood defence proposals designed for the development could also provide a greater level of flood protection for the existing communities and businesses within the Duffryn area of Newport.

But following a public enquiry in 2006, Environment Agency Wales (now Natural Resources Wales) worked with the developer and their consultants to identify an alternative solution.

This solution still enhanced flood protection but at the same time allowed the park to gain additional playing fields for the benefit of the community.

As part of the project, a new riverside habitat area has also been created to encourage wildlife and to create a new recreation area for local people.

Gary Purnell, of Natural Resources Wales, said: “This is a great result for the community and I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to work with the developers and find the best solution for the park and its users while at the same time managing the flood risk effectively.

“Our parks are important assets to local communities, providing people with the opportunity to get active and to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family.

“But as our climate changes, the risk of flooding is increasing so it’s important that we’ve been able to strike the right balance here between protection and enjoyment.”