The latest on Newport’s new £10m flood defence scheme

Late last year, planning permission was granted to install £10 million worth of improvements along the River Usk, in the Lliswerry area of the city.

Known as the Stephenson Street Flood Defence Scheme, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has introduced the scheme to keep nearby neighbourhoods safe as water levels rise due to climate change.

This week, it has been confirmed that chartered surveyors Bruton Knowles have been retained by NRW to assist in the delivery of the scheme, which will largely be developed in areas to the south of Coronation Park.

The Cardiff based firm also revealed that the work is set to start “in the coming months”.

Over the last two years, they have been negotiating with landowners on behalf of NRW, to obtain rights to the land that they wish to build the flood defences on.

Once work is completed, it is estimated that the project will protect some 2,000 homes in Lliswerry and Spytty from flooding events.

How did we get here?

According to a recent NRW report, “Newport has a history of tidal flooding”.

Over the years, the city has seen a number of major floods, and while the area has a flood embankment in place, it has been classified as a “failing asset”, and in recent years, modelling has demonstrated that this is at risk of breaching.

Fortunately, during the recent storms which saw a red weather warning issued, the defences remained firm – though it is clear that a long term solution is required.

An artist impression of the flood defences (Credit: NRW)

Should the defences be breached, it is thought that 192 residential properties and 620 non-residential properties in the Liswerry/Spytty area would be at immediate risk.

Those figures rise to 1,117 residential dwellings and 1,016 non-residential properties by 2069, due to climate change and the rise in sea levels.

The report continues by saying that “Without the required remedial and improvement works to existing flood defence infrastructure along the River Usk, assets are likely to fail, placing significant risks upon human health and residential/non-residential properties in Liswerry, Newport.”

What has been said about the latest development?

Bill Simms, partner at Bruton Knowles said: “There has never been a more significant time for infrastructure projects such as this to come to fruition.

“Wales is one of the first countries in the world to have written climate change flood risks into new planning policy for developments, showing it is at the forefront of future-proofing its infrastructure.

Bill Simms of Bruton Knowles

“NRW is playing a pivotal role in driving this forward through environmental schemes which seek to reduce flood risks.

“We’re delighted to be working closely with the organisation as a core delivery partner on this much-needed scheme which will protect local communities going forward.”