Avonmouth Severnside Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence – Scheme Summary

The project comprises delivery of significant flood defence and ecological assets designed to unlock and safeguard development at Avonmouth-Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA). The project area, including the ASEA which is located between the Channel and the City of Bristol and spanning South (SGC) and Bristol City Council (BCC), is almost entirely within a single tidal flood cell.

The flood defence element of the project will primarily enhance and upgrade existing flood defence infrastructure along a 17km stretch as some areas are in need of refurbishment and some parts have low spots. The flood defence work also takes into account the predicted sea level rises from coastal change and climate change.

The ecological mitigation element of the project comprises the provision of at least 85 ha of wetland habitat creation, in line with the recommendations, which will ensure that sites within the are maintained after the industrial development takes place.

The project comprises work in five defined areas, three areas of flood defence works and two areas of ecological mitigation.

• Area 1: Severnside – Old Passage to Binn Wall, representing the northern section of flood defence works • Area 2: Avonmouth Docks – Bristol Port to the River , up to the proposed Portway P&R site. Representing the southern and riverine sections of flood defence works. • Area 3: Warth – Station Road to Chittening Warth Industrial Estate, alongside the route of the Railway Line and representing the central section of flood defence works. • Area 4: Hallen Marsh – 100 ha of agricultural land north east of Avonmouth Docks, bounded to the east by M49 and south by a railway line. • Area 5: Northwick – 85 ha of agricultural land to the West of Area 1, bounded to the north by M48 and south by M4.

The total cost of the project is £100,635,000 with £63,900,000 coming from the Economic Development Fund. The works are expected to create 6,400 net jobs of which 5,200 will be safeguarded jobs, generate £294m net additional business rates and generate £3.6bn net GVA.

For further information contact: Ian Steele, South Gloucestershire Council Telephone: 01454 868202 Email: [email protected]