Coastal flood defences for Poole

The flood defences will protect the last remaining part of waterfront that is at risk of flooding.

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Coastal flood defences for Poole

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BCP Council is working with the Environment Agency, landowners, and developers to build flood defences along a 1.5km stretch between Poole Bridge and Hunger Hill. The section of waterfront is the only remaining part undefended, leaving the town centre, Old Town and surrounding areas at risk of tidal flooding.

The proposed scheme is split into five zones, see the Zones map below. Each has different interventions planned for 2025, 2071 and 2105 to keep pace with climate change. BCP Council intends to take ownership and maintenance liability for the new flood defence. This is an important aspect of ensuring we can manage and adapt it in the future.

Zone A – Holes Bay Road & Lifeboat Quay Defences will be raised to 2.65m AOD* in 2025, then raised again to 3.6m AOD in 2071.

Zone B – RNLI All Weather Lifeboat Station is already protected for the next 85 years. No planned works.

Zone C – Slip Way will make best use of existing assets. Ground levels will be raised to 2.49m AOD* in 2025 and then raised again to 3.6m AOD in 2071.

Zone D – RNLI College is already protected for the next 50 years. No planned works.

Zone E – RNLI car park to Poole Bridge. It is more cost effective to replace the current quay walls in 2026, raising the height to 3.6m AOD*.

*Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) is a fixed reference level which has replaced ‘above sea level’ as the standard reference from which vertical heights on maps are measured.

Without the proposed flood defence scheme, the potential cost of tidal flooding damages to town centre infrastructure and properties, over the next 100 years, could exceed £161 million. This is the area highlighted in red on the Benefits map above. By calculating the cost of damages in a ‘do nothing’ scenario it enables us to bid for central government Grant in Aid funding so that we can do something to reduce the flood risk to local communities. The adjacent area (highlighted orange) shows the area which was used to gain funding for the raising of Poole Quay’s flood defences.

Find out more about the project here.

[Image credit: BCP Council]


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