AN UPDATE has been provided on the £9.8million flood risk management scheme aimed at protecting Tenbury Wells from the River Teme and Kyre Brook.
The Environment Agency is working with partners and key stakeholders to progress the design of the scheme.
The EA says it is making good progress towards starting construction in 2023, but it remains a complex and challenging scheme.
It has been focusing on the ongoing design of the scheme, including landscape and environmental considerations and more detailed engineering options.
Ongoing groundwater monitoring across the town has been carried out so the EA can better understand how the groundwater behaves.
Other ongoing works with partners have reviewed opportunities to improve the drainage on Market Street.
Site surveys, including ground investigation, topographical surveys and utilities surveys have also been undertaken.
The EA has also produced an updated hydraulic model of the town, which allowed it to better understand how the water behaved during a flood.
Previous site surveys identified a number of underground services, including electricity cables, sewers and water mains.
The location of these services have informed the current design options with diversion of some of these services likely as part of the scheme.
Residents will be advised in advance when work is expected to start on site.
An Environment Spokesperson said it was committed to developing a flood risk management scheme for Tenbury Wells, adding it was exploring opportunities to reduce capital costs through partnership working, design modification and value engineering to achieve an efficient affordable solution.
“All partners, including Worcestershire County Council and Malvern Hills District Council, are committed to developing a viable scheme.
“Our project team continue to engage with multiple partners, stakeholders, and the community of Tenbury Wells.
“In particular, we are having valuable conversations with the Hereford Anglican Church on finalising the scheme’s design at St Mary’s Church.”
It is preparing a planning application to be submitted late this year and, if all funding and approvals are in place, aims to start work next spring with completion scheduled for spring 2025.
Present funding is at £6.6million and the scheme, when finished, would be operated by the community.
A number of properties within Tenbury have been identified as potentially benefiting from Property Flood Resilience (PFR) measures.
These properties are at risk of flooding but not directly protected by the scheme.
The EA encourages people to visit the webpage at consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/west-midlands/tenbury-wells-flood-risk-management-scheme/ and to sign up to the regular newsletter for the latest updates.
People living in Tenbury Wells are also urged to give their views on the scheme.
