The proposals for the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier Scheme have been developed, from an early stage, to minimise adverse impacts on the environment, land use, use of the river and the local community.
The construction of the tidal barrier is a key component of a 20 Year Flood Action Plan, which was developed after the 2014 Somerset Levels flooding.
Fereday Pollard are developing the designs with Jacobs and the Environment Agency who have been tasked with developing proposals and securing funding for a barrier which can be operational by 2024.
Alongside the barrier, improvements to other flood defences downstream are proposed.
The barrier will be a large gate structure across the River Parrett between Express Park and Chilton Trinity. It will have two ‘vertical lift’ gates that will be closed when a tidal surge is forecast. This will prevent the tide travelling upstream and overtopping defences and flooding property and infrastructure.