Policy paper

Arundel tidal defence scheme: phase 1

Updated 3 February 2021

Contact

For more information about the scheme please contact Andrew Townsend at the Environment Agency on 03708 506506 Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, or email FloodRiskSussex@environment-agency.gov.uk.

You can also follow the project on Twitter @EnvAgencySE #ArundelTDS

Postal address:

Guildbourne House
Worthing
Chatsworth Road
Worthing
West Sussex
BN11 1LD

If you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive future newsletters, please email FloodRiskSussex@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Latest news

Construction of the Arundel tidal defence scheme (ATDS) has started. The 2 main site compounds are in the overflow car park at Mill Road car park and in the car park at River Road, Arundel.

Construction of the new flood defence at River Road and Tarrant Wharf, and work to strengthen the river wall along Fitzalan Road, started in November 2019.

Update 29 January

Re-instatement of gardens and patios at River Road

Environment Agency consultants and contractors have finalised plans to re-instate the gardens and patios that were disrupted by works to install the new flood defence wall at River Road. They continue to work with individual residents to agree specific details. A site compound will be set up in Mill Road and begin to receive deliveries from Monday 1 February 2021. Work is planned to start on site in River Road from Monday 8 February 2021. We anticipate that these works will continue until mid-May.

The Environment Agency and its contractors will continue to do what they can to minimise the disruption to residents and the community. Some of the activities will cause localised disruption to access, noise and dust. Disruptive activities will include excavation and removal of material, mini-piling at one location, and the delivery/laying of concrete in the rear gardens. Detailed construction methodology of these activities and any mitigation that can be provided to minimise disruption is continually under review.

Site working hours will be between 7:30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and on Saturday mornings.

The key locations for this phase of work are:

Mill Road Car Park

Initial activities beginning 1 February 2021 will involve the delivery of equipment to the Mill Road Car Park. This includes contractor welfare facilities. The area in the car park will remain the main site compound whilst the re-instatement works are carried out. Deliveries will continue to be made to the compound here throughout the duration of this phase of works. Materials and equipment will then be transported to the site working area through Arundel.

Arun Street and the Memorial Gardens

The main access to the site will be along Tarrant Street and down Arun Street. In accordance with the Temporary Traffic Restriction Order granted by West Sussex County Council, you will not be able to park on the West side of Arun Street. This is where materials and equipment will be delivered and unloaded. A waste skip will be in place at the southern end of Arun Street. The Environment Agency apologises for the inconvenience that this will cause. This is necessary due to the access and space restrictions in Arundel.

To enable the works to be completed, access to some of the rear gardens at River Road will be through the Memorial Gardens. The gardens will be closed to public access for the duration of the work. The Environment Agency is working closely with Arun District Council to ensure that the use of the garden is as sensitive as possible. However, some plants may need to be removed. Extra precautions will be taken to protect the memorial paving. Re-instatement and repair works will be completed at the end of the works and agreed with Arun District Council.

River Road

In addition to the access through the Memorial Gardens, there will be two access points to the rear of the impacted properties along River Road. As required, materials and equipment will be transported down River Road by transit van/wheelbarrow.

How will I be kept updated?

The Environment Agency will resume its regular updates to its existing email distribution list to provide updates on progress and a forward look of any particularly disruptive activities. If you would like to be added to the distribution list or if you no longer wish to receive these emails, please email FloodRiskSussex@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Update 25 November

You may have recently seen some increased activity in Arundel. The Environment Agency is doing the following activities:

River Road – Reinstatement works to properties and gardens along River Road continue to be finalised. These complicated works will likely continue into the new year.

Fitzalan Road – Landscaping works are being carried out to replace hedges that were removed for access during the scheme’s construction phase. The team will also be carrying out checks to the reinforced wall to identify any minor cracks which may need repointing.

Fitzalan Road (South of the A27 Bridge) – Minor snagging works will be taking place along the bank with respect to the timber boards forming the low lying flood

Ford Road – Contractors will be installing flood defence warning signage along the bank. They will also be addressing defects in the low lying flood wall timbers. This will involve some of the timbers being replaced.

Update 10 August

Construction of the Arundel Tidal Defences Scheme is complete. The Environment Agency is working closely with residents to finalise plans for reinstatement and compensation. We remain committed to repairing any damage it has caused.

The Environment Agency would like to assure residents that outstanding queries are being progressed.

There will be limited activity in Arundel over August, whilst plans for required re-instatement are completed. Contractors will still be present periodically to carry out some monitoring of the scheme. No further updates will be issued until reinstatement work starts in September when further details will be shared of any localised disruption.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and understanding.

Recently installed benches

The project team have agreed that the location of the benches installed along the river bank at Fitzalan Road were not suitable. This is following feedback and concerns raised by members of the community. We have decided to remove the benches. The Environment Agency along with partners will review whether they can be re-used or relocated in Arundel.

Emergency Response Plan summary

In early 2016, the Environment Agency developed an Emergency Response Plan. This was for the increased flood risk presented by the failure of the flood defence (river wall) at River Road, Arundel. This emergency plan details how it will respond to high water levels in the River Arun and the increased flood risk posed to properties in the area.

In November 2018, the Environment Agency reviewed and updated the plan, both in readiness for winter and to ensure its approach is as effective as possible.

The Environment Agency has 3 stages to the Emergency Response Plan, which are linked to the forecast river level:

Stages 1 and 2

These actions will better protect the properties directly affected in River Road. This would involve positioning sandbags along the patio gardens. The Environment Agency will work with the residents to carry out this activity when necessary.

Stage 3

This would involve setting up a temporary (aluminium) flood barrier when river levels are expected to be exceptionally high. It would be placed in River Road to better protect additional properties that may be at flood risk in this area.

The Environment Agency would also work closely with the River Road residents who live between the temporary flood barrier and the river. This would involve placing sandbags along with other specialist products, including covering doors and airbricks, to better protect their properties.

Preparing for an emergency

In order to understand the flood risk in the area, the Environment Agency forecasts the combination of the tidal level and the river level using modelling software. It bases its decision to respond on the information provided by this modelled forecast data. The water level in the River Arun at Arundel is referred to as being tidally dominated, which means that the sea level is the primary factor in determining the river level. This allows the Environment Agency to accurately forecast river levels 3 days in advance of high river levels.

The Environment Agency has duty officers and staff on standby at all times (including public holidays), to monitor river levels, issue flood alerts and respond to incidents. It also has full-time, out-of-hours support from its emergency works contractor, should such a service be required.

Contact in an emergency

If you need to report a flooding incident, call the Environment Agency incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 (24-hour service).

If you want find out how to stay safe during a flood, or sign up to the Environment Agency flood warning service, you can speak to a Floodline advisor. Please call the 24-hour Floodline on 0345 988 1188, or on 0345 602 6340 Type Talk for people with hearing impairment.

About the scheme

The Environment Agency worked with West Sussex County Council, Arun District Council and Arundel Town Council, to develop the Arundel Tidal Defences Scheme-Phase 1. This scheme is the first phase of planned works that will involve improvements to the flood defences on both sides of the River Arun, to better protect the wider community of Arundel from the risk of flooding and river erosion. The Environment Agency also plans to understand the timing and location of work needed for future years.

The Environment Agency anticipates the scheme will better protect up to 130 properties from flooding, and a further 30 from erosion on both river banks in Arundel.

Improvement work on the fast-flowing River Arun presents a significant engineering challenge. The Environment Agency will carefully manage the risks to minimise the potential impacts this may cause.

Funding

The current best estimate of the cost of the scheme is £6.7 million, funded by a combination of government grant, contributions from local councils, Southern Water Services, the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and funds raised locally from residents.

Community engagement

It is important to the Environment Agency that the scheme is supported by the community. The Environment Agency and its contractors will talk to residents and other interested parties during construction, fully explaining what it is doing and why.

There will be some noise from movement of vehicles and equipment and from generators. Noise levels will be monitored closely throughout the work.

The Environment Agency appreciates your patience and support during these vital works.

The plans will be communicated widely; on this webpage, in a variety of other publically accessible ways and directly to those most affected. The Environment Agency is working closely with Arundel Town Council and local councils, to provide regular updates about the timings of activities that will cause the most disruption. Environment Agency staff delivered a newsletter widely in Arundel during the week commencing 21 October 2019.

Timescales

Construction of the new flood defences at River Road and Tarrant Wharf, and works to strengthen the river wall along Fitzalan Road, started in November 2019.

Works to the embankments south of the A27 bridge are scheduled to take place between April and June 2020.

The whole Phase 1 scheme is estimated to be completed in the summer of 2020.