Blythburgh: Suffolk County Council reveals plans to protect stretch of A12 against flooding
Motorists battle through the floods on the A12 at Blythburgh. Suffolk County Council have announced plans to build a series of raised banks to defend the A12 from flooding. - Credit: Archant
Roads chiefs have revealed proposals to build a series of raised banks to defend a vulnerable stretch of the A12 from flooding.
By the end of spring next year, Suffolk County Council will have built the walls to protect the single carriage A road as it crosses the Blythburgh estuary, north of the village.
The authority has also promised to investigate building a sluice gate.
It is hoped the work will prevent a repetition of the flooding in 2007, which forced the road to be closed and caused significant disruption and economic loss to Lowestoft and the surrounding area.
It follows eight months of work by the county council, the Environment Agency and Natural England to model the effects of flood defences on the immediate area and downstream at Southwold Harbour.
Extensive on-site analysis and computer modelling has also taken place.
The walls, known as “bunds”, can be delivered quickest and provide protection while additional measures are investigated further.
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Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s chairman, said: “The flooding in 2007 may have happened some six years ago this November but that doesn’t mean the effects that were caused have been forgotten.
“I’m pleased that we’re able to move forward and install the bunds by spring next year. This will provide the protection the road needs at the earliest possible point, while giving us time to investigate fully any other measures that might further protect the local area.
“The A12 links Suffolk’s two largest towns and we cannot and will not allow a repeat of the devastating floods that took place six years ago.”
Public exhibitions, setting out the proposal in more detail, will take place in Blythburgh and Southwold later this year.
