£2.7m project in Yorkshire to reduce flooding in the area

A £2.7m project will be launched to reduce flooding in the Hornsea Mere area and improve water quality at the site.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has received funding for the scheme and is working in partnership with Hornsea Mere Water Level and Water Quality Scheme.

Hornsea has suffered multiple floods over the past 15 years, with the most devastating taking place in 2007, 2012 and 2019.

The project will involve the construction of two wetland lagoons along Foss Dyke which will store flood water during intense rainfall to reduce the risk of flooding to homes and businesses.

Cllr Chris Matthews, the council’s portfolio holder for environment and climate change said: ‘This is another example of a fantastic flood scheme to be delivered by the council.

‘I am especially encouraged that the scheme will provide additional environmental enhancements to improve water quality and biodiversity at the Mere.

‘Once complete, the scheme will reduce flood risk to many properties in Hornsea and I look forward to seeing the scheme progress over the coming years.’

Work on the project is expected to begin in early 2024, with constructed wetlands set to improve water quality in the Mere and downstream watercourses.

It’s thought this will help to create new habitats, improve local biodiversity and enhance the environment at the Mere, the largest freshwater lake in Yorkshire and a key tourist attraction.

Once the East Riding of Yorkshire Council submits a business case for the scheme, it will rely on £2.7m of funding from the Flood Defence Grant from Defra.

Additional contributions from Natural England and the council have gone towards technical studies examining flood risk and water quality monitoring which have already been concluded.

The Hornsea Mere project is the latest of the councils £100m programme of flood alleviation schemes worked on since 2015, reducing flood risk for approximately around 25,000 properties.

Dean Hamblin, flood and coastal risk management senior advisor at the Environment Agency said: ‘It’s great to see the progression of another project that will better protect homes and businesses in the East Riding.

‘This forms part of significant ongoing investment in flood schemes across Yorkshire and the Humber, with over half a billion pounds invested since 2015 – more than any other part of the country.

‘In addition to reducing flood risk associated with Foss Dyke, this innovative scheme will also deliver water quality improvements to Hornsea Mere, and increase biodiversity in the area through the creation of additional wetland habitats.

‘This clearly demonstrates that working with natural processes and using natural flood management measures can be an efficient, cost-effective and sustainable way of delivering multiple outcomes and benefits.’

Photo by Chris Gallagher