Rickerby Flood Risk Management Scheme

Introduction

In August 2019, work began on the new flood risk management scheme in Rickerby, Cumbria.

The Rickerby Flood Risk Management Scheme, developed by the Environment Agency, will reduce flood risk for residents who were flooded during Storm Desmond in 2015.

Stuart Mounsey, the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Risk Manager for Cumbria, said:

“The community of Rickerby was severely impacted by flooding during the winter of 2015. I’m pleased that after close consultation with both the Cumbria County Council and Carlisle City Councils that we are now able to commence construction works on what will prove to be a significant flood defence scheme for the residents of this community. The Rickerby Flood Risk Management Scheme is an important part of our investment across the city of Carlisle to improve our resilience to the devastating impacts of flooding.”

Now complete, the flood defences will reduce the risk of flooding to 34 properties in Rickerby Village up to the water levels experienced during Storm Desmond in winter 2015.

The impacts of Storm Ciara and Dennis in February 2020 have further highlighted the flood risk in Rickerby, however, these did not significantly impact the construction programme. The defences have been watertight since the end of September 2020, with work continuing in details of safety handrails and landscaping.

Bank of the River Eden at Rickerby

Scheme Overview

Phases

Rickerby has now completed the main construction phase of the programme. This saw the building of the new flood defences and new highway completed at the same time to reduce the length of the construction programme.

There has already been significant tree planting and landscaping work on site.

Prior to this phase Rickerby undertook appraisal and design works, secured funding through the Environment Agency’s business cases as well as gaining the necessary planning permissions.

Work is now largely complete. Continuing work is taking place to fix handrails to steps on the site, and removal of equipment. Then in spring 2021 there will be further landscaping work, with grass seeding to cover the bare earth and complete the scheme.

Photos of tree planting:

Funding

After the flooding in 2015, Rory Stewart announced a Flood Defence Scheme would be delivered for Rickerby, suggesting the community ‘match-fund’ resources of their own to help meet the Environment Agency half-way, proposing small financial contributions per household, construction materials from local developer Fred Story, and flexibility in where residents might accept any new flood defence structure to be positioned on their land.

An amount of booster funding was secured in March 2016 for Rickerby and several resident meetings were held with the Environment Agency throughout 2016. Programme and Contract Management (PCM), the Project Management arm of the Environment Agency, was brought on board to look into developing a scheme in September 2016. An Appraisal Contract was awarded to JBA Bentley (JBAB) in October 2016 with appraisal works commenced in November including the update of a Hydraulic Model of Carlisle and Rickerby.

Work Completed

December 2020 Update

The flood defences are now watertight and ready to defend the community from water levels up to those experienced during Storm Desmond in winter 2015.

In 2019, the Environment Agency received planning permission from Carlisle City Council for the construction of new flood defences for Rickerby Village.
Construction works commenced in August 2019, initially involving archaeological investigation in the field north of Rickerby Village. This will be the location for Rickerby’s temporary site compound, which has been set up and is being utilised by the Carlisle scheme staff as an efficient way of working.
The main section archaeological works and investigation were signed off in November 2019 with just a watching brief on site.
In January 2020, the scheme moved onto the construction of the new road which passes through the field to the north of Rickerby.
The road, the flood walls and embankments near Brunstock Beck will be constructed simultaneously.
Rickerby’s contractor, VBA (VolkerStevin, Boskalis Westminster and Atkins), established in February 2020 a temporary access road through the rear of properties along Brunstock Beck and will commence construction of the flood walls and embankments.
Construction of the flood defences has been completed at the rear of all the properties in Rickerby Court, Rickerby House and Rickerby retreat.
Piling works were completed on time despite a delay in the delivery due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Brickwork cladding completed at the rear of all the properties in Rickerby Court and Rickerby House.
Flood defence wall and embankment installed adjacent to existing highway, majority has been brick clad.
New highway and footpath constructed and opened on the 14^th September.
Landscaping works have begun and are expected to be complete mid-November.
Final section of flood wall construction across the old highway began 15^th September.

Photos of the new flood wall:

The main works are now completed. A significant amount of the construction activity was weather dependent, but the project team sequenced works to avoid these activities being undertaken during wet winter periods.

The works have included:

Widening of Rickerby Retreat secondary access, which was required to enable the project team to use the main access to construct the haul road behind Rickerby Retreat, Rickerby House and the properties on Rickerby Court.
Construction of the haul road to enable us to build the flood defence at the rear of Rickerby Court properties.
New highway construction has been completed.
Construction of earth bund at rear of properties 5 and 6.
The wall to the rear of properties 8, 9, 10, 12 and Rickerby House.
Construction of flood walls and embankments to properties along Brunstock Beck and along the existing Rickerby Park Road.
Landscaping and de-mobilisation.
99 new trees and 675m²of native species woodland copse have been planted, and 475m of native hedging are being established.

Photos of the new flood wall:

The video below shows a view of the construction work from Rickerby House. (Photo credit: David Taylor)

Rickerby FRMS Photo Montage (video download)

(L-R) Brickwork cladding, piling at Rickerby Retreat, and wall at rear of Rickerby Court

Scheme Details

Aesthetics and finishes

The scheme comprises 400m of new flood defence walls, 100m of raised flood embankment along Brunstock Beck and a new alignment to Rickerby Park Road to prevent Brunstock Beck flowing along the road into the village. The scheme will protect Rickerby from the equivalent water levels experienced in Storm Desmond.

Environment

The site falls within the buffer zone of the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site. Accordingly, the Environment Agency’s heritage specialists have consulted Historic England Inspector of Ancient Monuments covering the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site to ensure the scheme will not adversely affect the heritage of Hadrian’s Wall. The Environment Agency has received planning approval for the scheme, which includes a minor re-routing of Hadrian’s Wall path. The Environment Agency is also undertaking an archaeological investigation along this route to ensure any items of interest are recorded.

Documents For Download

Newsletters

Visualisations

Technical drawings

News and Events

News

Rickerby Flood Risk Management Scheme reaches completion (December 2020)

Events

Throughout the phases of the scheme the Rickerby project team have held a number of “drop in” events within the communities of Rickerby and neighbouring Linstock to discuss the scheme and how the Environment Agency and its contractors will limit the impacts on the communities.

Useful Links

Be prepared for flooding

It is important to plan how you’ll respond to a flood. Visit https://www.gov.uk/prepare-for-flooding/future-flooding and use the template to make a personal or community wide flood action plan.

Sign up for free flood warnings on https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings.

For information on how to protect your home or business from flooding, please call the Environment Agency’s Floodline on 0345 988 1188, or visit the Environment Agency website www.environment-agency.gov.uk.

The community can find more information about funding flood risk management schemes at www.cumbriastrategicfloodpartnership.org.

The Flood Hub