Preston flood defence scheme delayed by a year

Road closures by Miller Park remain in force and work has paused there on new flood gates until Spring next year Pic: Blog Preston

A multi-million pound flood defence scheme for Broadgate is delayed by a year, Blog Preston can reveal.

The Environment Agency was due to complete all work on the Broadgate side of the River Ribble by December but has announced sections of work will pause and not finish until the end of 2025.

Started in early 2022 the scheme, costing £54.7million, runs along Broadgate and Lower Penwortham. The Broadgate Gardens section was completed earlier this year.

The Miller Park entrance all the way down to the Miller Garden Apartments will now see closures remain in force for 12 months longer than planned.

Engineers led by Volker Stevin, who won a ‘considerate contractor award’ earlier this year for their earlier work on the Broadgate section of the scheme, have blamed ‘difficulties with ground conditions at depth and the riverbank’ for the delays.

A stretch of riverbank from the Ribble Cottages to the Continental pub needs a new foundation design which has meant a re-design of the scheme and delays to construction.

Blog Preston understands the scheme, costing £54.7million, is not going to see any increase in cost as a result of the extended works.

The Continental pub in South Meadow Lane with the flood works nearby Pic: Blog Preston

Owner of The Continental pub in South Meadow Lane, which has seen road closures and more throughout the last three years, Susan Rowlands has expressed her frustration at the delays.

She told Blog Preston: “We have been as cooperative as possible with the scheme involving removal of our hedgerow boundaries and use of our car park for heavy machinery and lorries.

“We appreciate it is an ambitious and very necessary scheme and the works that have been completed so far are impressive. However for three years we will have been unable to grow our business. We have had many plans put on hold for our kiosk; beer festivals, outdoor markets , bed and breakfast etc.

“After the Covid years it has been crucial to try and recover lost ground for businesses like ours. We have had to watch our competitors grow whilst we have been forced to tread water.”

Environment Agency flood and coastal risk manager, Richard Knight, said: “We sympathise with residents and business owners and are working hard with our suppliers to complete this section of the project as quickly as possible.

“The delays encountered whilst working along Riverside are due to unexpected and complicated riverbank and bedrock conditions. This has meant that we have had to undertake a redesign of the foundations for the new flood defences, review works to the riverbank and revisit the construction methods we are using.”

The Environment Agency has confirmed there’s changes to road closures planned as some sections of the scheme on the Broadgate side have finished on time and the Penwortham side of the scheme is unaffected and on track to be finished on time.

What’s staying closed and what’s re-opening?

The section from gas pipe bridge to South End will re-open on Friday 13 December. This means the junctions of Riverside with Connaught Road and Wolseley Road are to be opened and residents on South End will be able to turn right onto Broadgate. This section was due to open earlier this year but was delayed until December.

The Connaught Road and Wolseley Road closures will lift in December Pic: Blog Preston

A stretch of Riverside from the Conti to the Ribble Cottages, in use by pedestrians and with no access to the Conti car park and the Mini garage by car, is to stay shut until late 2025. Cyclists are not able to use this section, unless pushing their bikes, and the Guild Wheel diversion remains in force.

Works at the entrance of Miller Park to put in new flood gates, underneath the West Coast mainline bridge, have paused until Spring next year.

The stretch of South End to Miller Garden Apartments is going to close from Spring 2025 for new flood defence work. No exact date has been given for this. An alternative access to Miller Park gardens is currently in place via the BAC sports club and signposted from South Meadow Lane.

The road closures which are in place at present, the orange closure lifts in mid-December Pic: Environment Agency

On the Penwortham side of the river the stretch of Riverside Road currently closed is due to re-open on Friday 20 December when flood wall works complete.

Work at Margaret Road has ceased and the compound there has been stood down, and the creation of a new mini wetlands is in progress. It’s due to be complete by early 2025.

The Ribble Sidings wetland work ongoing Pic: Environment Agency

A concrete artist to blend new flood wall

Aidan Douglas has been working on the flood wall along Riverside to make it blend in with the gas pipe bridge and Penwortham Old Bridge.

Using polymer modified mortar to replicate stone and rock. He uses colouring techniques to age and weather the concrete, as shown in the before and after pictures below.

The after brickwork (left) and before brickwork (right) Pic: Environment Agency

Walton-le-Dale scheme remains on track

The flood defence works were due to move upstream to start at Walton-le-Dale in Spring next year and Blog Preston has been told this remains the plan.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “We will be improving existing defences along both the River Ribble and River Darwen.

“Utility and topographical surveys have been completed as well as ground investigations. These feed into a detailed design which will go to public consultation before an application for planning permission is sought in Spring 2025.

“As part of these phases, existing flood defences in Frenchwood will also receive additional maintenance.”

In preparation tree planting has been taking place at Fishwick Bottoms with more than 8,000 trees planted along the riverbank where it acts as a flood plain.

Funding for the tree planting has come from the Water Environment Improvement Fund and done in partnership with Preston City Council and the Ribble Rivers Trust.

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