A £13 million flood defence scheme designed to protect more than 100 homes and end years of disruption for residents is under way in a North East village.
The coastal village of Skinningrove, North Yorkshire, has faced repeated flooding concerns over the years, with residents in parts of the community often left cut off when flood gates were closed during periods of heavy rain.
Now, the Environment Agency and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have started work on a major flood alleviation project that officials say will provide a permanent solution to flooding from Skinningrove Beck.
At the heart of the scheme is a new bridge that will replace Stone Row Bridge and remove the need for the village's existing manually operated floodgates.
Currently, the Environment Agency closes flood gates and installs flood defences when rising water levels are forecast.
However, because Skinningrove Beck can rise rapidly and with little warning, the measures can remain in place for long periods, preventing vehicle access to homes in Zetland Row and Grove Hill.
The £13 million scheme aims to remove that uncertainty altogether.
A new bridge will be built between New Company Row and Zetland Row, next to the Riverside Building, the village's former school.
The deck will sit above the height of the current flood walls, meaning the flood gates will no longer be required and residents will have uninterrupted access to their homes regardless of conditions in the beck.
The project is expected to be completed in 2028 and will protect more than 100 properties in Redcar from flooding in the future.
Stone Row Bridge Before and After Visualisation.
(Image: Environment Agency.)
Main Bridge Before and After Visualisation.
(Image: Environment Agency.)
Andrew Turner, flood risk operations manager at the Environment Agency, said: "Once complete, this scheme will deliver a genuine step-change in flood protection for the community of Skinningrove.
“The new bridge will eliminate the need for manual operation of the flood gates altogether, removing the disruption and uncertainty that comes with the current arrangements."
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Turner added: "It will also sit higher above the watercourse than the existing bridge, which means debris carried down the beck during heavy rainfall is far less likely to cause a blockage - one of the factors that can make flooding in the village worse.
“This is a long-term solution that will make a real difference to people's lives."
Residents will have the opportunity to help choose the final design of the bridge, which will be decorated by local artist Mick Kirkby-Geddes.
To vote, visit the New Bridge Railings Artwork | Engage Environment Agency website.