Plans for the third and final phase of a £6 million scheme to reduce flood risk in North Tyneside are to be unveiled.
Northumbrian Water, North Tyneside Council and the Environment Agency are inviting residents from Killingworth Moor and Longbenton to come along and view the proposals at an open event at The White Swan Centre on Tuesday, October 10 2017 between 3.00pm and 8.00pm.
Work has been ongoing in the Longbenton and Killingworth Moor areas since 2015 to reduce the amount of rain water that enters Northumbrian Water’s sewer network. By using sustainable drainage techniques, as much as possible, this work will help to reduce the risk of flooding as well as enhance the local area. The first phase was completed in 2016 and the second is due for completion later this year. These two phases will all feed into the third and final part of the work, which is due to start early 2018.
In order to keep residents informed and aware of the work, the project team is seeking residents’ views on phase three of the scheme, which will see work taking place near to the area around Killingworth Lake and is due to start early 2018.
Lynn Preston, Northumbrian Water’s Project Manager said: “We know that being flooded is a truly awful experience for our customers and reducing the risk of flooding to our customers is our top priority.
“Our partnership approach, which has also involved working closely with North Tyneside Council and the Environment Agency, has been vital to ensure a holistic, sustainable and efficient approach to tackle flooding in this area.
“We appreciate that this will have an impact on residents, businesses and their customers and we will do everything we can to reduce the disruption while we carry out this necessary work. I would like to encourage residents to come along to our public event to find out more and discuss any concerns they may have.”
Cllr Carole Burdis, North Tyneside Council’s cabinet member for community engagement, said: “Working alongside our partners, we, as a council, are committed to protecting residents against the risk of flooding.
“This is a really important scheme, which will not only help minimise this risk and give people peace of mind but also greatly improve the local area, so I am pleased to see the project nearing a conclusion. We also continue to thank people for their patience while the work is carried out.
“I would urge residents to take the opportunity to attend the open event and speak to the experts involved in the project and find out more about what’s still to come as part of the third and final phase.”
Nicola Hyslop, Project Manager for the Environment Agency, added: “We fully understand the devastating impact flooding can have and that’s why we always work together with communities when designing and constructing flood alleviation schemes.
“We’re committed to keeping residents updated and it’s important they come along to this event to find out more about the project and the next steps, and also to discuss any concerns they might have. We’ve already made excellent progress on this scheme and working with other organisations has allowed a collaborative approach which manages the risk of flooding from multiple sources and improves the local environment.”