Council launches flood & regen project

Bondholder Derby City Council hosted a groundbreaking ceremony earlier this week to mark the beginning of construction on Derby's Our City Our River project.

The innovative scheme proposals are to reduce Derby's flood risk and maximise regeneration opportunities along the River Derwent. The flood defences would be designed to protect the city against a 1 in 100 year chance of flood occurrence and provide and ideal opportunity to release the economic potential of brownfield sites along the river frontage.

Councillor Martin Rawson, Deputy Leader of Derby City Council, said: “This marks the start of a new era for Derby with vital flood protection measures and the significant regeneration of key development sites along the riverside.”

The core objectives of the scheme are to:

• Reduce flood risk to protect people and property by creating realigned flood defences, using flood walls, raising and lowering of land to create embankments and the creation of a new flood conveyance corridor.
• Maximise regeneration and sustainable development opportunities along the river frontage.
• Release the economic potential of brownfield sites currently at significant risk of flooding.
• Improve access to the riverside including pedestrian and cycle routes.
• Enhance the significant heritage assets of the city to help promote tourism to the city.
• Enhance ecology, wildlife and biodiversity along the river and deliver the Water Framework Directive objectives.