Knights Brown is proud to confirm its appointment for the construction of the Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill Flood Defence Scheme, a major infrastructure project designed to protect Poole town centre from tidal flooding and support its long-term regeneration.
Delivered in partnership with BCP Council and South West Flood & Coastal, the £29.4 million scheme will provide 1.5km of continuous flood defences along the eastern side of Holes Bay.
Construction will begin in August 2025. At Holes Bay Path to Lifeboat Quay (Zone A) the work will raise the height of existing pathways to 2.65m AOD, by upgrading embankments and rock revetments.
Between the RNLI car park and Poole Bridge (Zone E) which is due to commence in the autumn, work will comprise construction of a 3.6m AOD steel tubular and sheet-piled wall with flood gates. The two zones will take approximately 18 months to complete.
Over 570 properties currently face a present-day flood risk. This figure expected to rise to more than 2,000 over the next century due to climate change and sea level rise.
Mike Crook, Divisional Director, Knights Brown said:
“As a local company, we’re delighted to be awarded the scheme, which we know will be of great benefit to the community. Our experience in coastal and marine civil engineering extends across southern England and Wales. This includes projects such as the North Portsea scheme where 1.9km of flood defences are currently under construction; a 1.2km concrete faced, stepped apron and sheet pile toe wall just completed at Mumbles, South Wales; and the Falklands Jetty upgrade at Marchwood Port in Southampton. We’re very happy to be getting work underway on this transformative project.”
Matt Hosey – Head of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management, BCP Council said:
“For years, it was anticipated that the ongoing regeneration from Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill would result in comprehensive flood defences. However, recent developments have only delivered them along isolated sections, leaving significant gaps. This incomplete coverage exposes the wider area to tidal flooding, a risk that will increase in frequency and severity due to climate change. South West Flood & Coastal has been actively progressing the delivery of this essential, major and complex flood defence scheme, securing substantial funding contributions from Environment Agency Grant in Aid and BCP Council Strategic CIL. Through early contractor involvement, Knights Brown has contributed to enhancing the scheme’s buildability, shortening the construction programme and value-engineering costs, all while aiming to reduce environmental impacts.”
Due to salt-marsh and mud-flat ecosystems that support wintering wading birds and wildfowl, Holes Bay is designated as a Wetland of International Importance (under the Ramsar convention), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).