135 properties in Clementhorpe saved from flooding

Sandbag barriers and rescue boats should no longer be needed to protect and evacuate Clementhorpe residents whenever the nearby River Ouse rises and overtops its banks.

The massive Environment Agency scheme, which has been underway in Terry Avenue since March last year, aims to defend 135 properties in streets such as River Street, where residents had to be evacuated from their homes by boat in November 2000.

The work has involved the construction of a 240-metre long semi-permeable underground barrier under Terry Avenue, up to 6 metres deep.

This is aimed at limiting the amount of flood water that can pass under the overground flood defences and flood low-lying areas behind the defences.

The project has also involved the installation of a new flood gate on Clementhorpe, at the junction with Terry Avenue, which was successfully tested on Wednesday.

Mark Fuller, from the agency, said: “The gate test is a key part of the project and it's working really well. The water behind the gate is up to the maximum flood level and it's showing that there's practically no seepage coming through the gate at all.

"Until we’d tested it, we didn’t know, and you don’t want the first test to be during a flood.

"The test gives us the change to make any adjustments, which we don’t need to do on this one; we can write it off as a successful leak test, it’s a testament to all the designers and the work that’s gone into it.”

The scheme also includes:

*The construction of a flood wall in front of Waterfront House.

*The building of a new flood wall and raising of the road level at Dukes Wharf.

*The construction of a new flood wall to link into the newly improved defences, completed by Roomzzz Hotel, on Lower Ebor Street.

The agency has also raised the corners of the existing boundary walls at Postern Close and installed new flood defences between Postern Close and Postern House.

Project manager Ian Boddice said that once the highway was inspected and approved by City of York Council, Terry Avenue could be reopened.

The closure of the riverside road, a popular and safe cycle route into the city centre, met with furious protests from cyclists, who faced having to take a lengthy diversion across the Millennium Bridge and along New Walk.

Mr Boddice said: “We’d like to thank residents for their patience during these works along this popular route, which we hope to reopen soon for traffic, cyclists and pedestrians.

“We can’t prevent all flooding, but these new defences are a key part of us better protecting over 2,000 properties in York and making them more climate resilient.”