Costs have risen by £500,000 for planned repair work to fix critical flood defences in Bristol’s harbour. 'Urgent' work to repair the sluices by Underfall Yard was approved by Bristol City Council’s cabinet in December 2021, but has not yet begun.
The sluice gates at Underfall Yard have given Bristol a way of controlling water levels in the harbour since 1840. They provide a critical defence from tidal flooding from the River Avon, but some of the infrastructure is over a century old.
Initially the council asked for £1.25 million from the Environment Agency to carry out the repair works. But now this cost has risen to £1.75 million, and the cabinet is expected to sign off the extra cash at a public meeting on Tuesday, April 4. The works will be fully funded by the agency.
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A cabinet report said: “The docks and sluices at Underfall Yard are not operating correctly and need investment to repair and prevent flooding and damage to the dock’s infrastructure and local businesses. The issue has required urgent action and discussion with the Environment Agency, to assess the problem and funding available.
“The Underfall Yard sluices form part of our flood defences. Ensuring their operation is critical in preventing flooding to properties around the harbour. Construction costs are estimated to be £919,000, with eligible costs incurred to date of £50,000. However, when risk and optimism bias is accounted for, the total project costs are estimated at £1.75 million.”
The risk of severe flooding in Bristol is growing due to climate change and rising sea levels, which particularly affects the River Avon due to its tidal nature. Earlier in March the area around the Cumberland Basin, near the Underfall Yard sluices, was heavily flooded.
