Working in partnership, Southwark Council and Thames Water, with the support of the Environment Agency, are delivering a project on behalf of Thames Water to reduce the risk of sewer and surface water flooding in the Dulwich and Herne Hill area.
The pilot scheme will see flood management measures put in place in the Belair Park, Southwark Community Sports Ground, Turney Road and Dulwich Park.
The Environment Agency’s Flood & coastal Manager, Mark Douch, said: “Floods can damage or destroy homes and businesses and the Environment Agency works in partnership with councils, businesses, communities and others to reduce this risk. Herne Hill has been badly affected by flooding in the past and we are pleased to be part of developing a scheme which will significantly reduce the risk of flooding to the local community.”
The contractor for the project, which began in March of this year, is MGJV - a Morrison-Galliford Try joint venture. As part of the scheme, works at Dulwich Park involve:
- Increasing storage capacity of existing water bodies;
- Constructing storage areas below ground to store further flood water and provide an efficient outflow route from the park, releasing it slowly back into the sewer network;
- Building barriers to temporarily contain or redirect surface water into existing water sources e.g. lakes and ponds;
- Planting wetland wildflower meadows to attract wildlife.
New drainage channels will also be installed in nearby Turney Road which has been badly affected by flooding in the past.
The Environment Agency’s Flood Risk Management Advisor, Simon Tanner, said: “It is the kind of scheme the government is keen to foster for the ongoing management of flood risk, and is likely to feature in the AMP6 period.”
Once complete in December 2014, the scheme will provide a flood protection level of 1 in 75 years.
