Work begins on £11m Teesside flood protection scheme

Work starts today on an £11m project to protect homes devastated by flooding in a part of Teeside.

Port Clarence was badly damaged by flooding in 1999 and again after high tides back in 2013.

The Environment Agency has already spent £3m building barriers and raising sections of road near the Transporter Bridge.

The next phase, which begins today, involves creating 30 hectares of extra habitat.

What's been done so far?

• The first phase of the project saw new flood defences built at Port Clarence to reduce flood risk from the River Tees.

• It cost £4.5 million.

• It was finished in December 2015.

What's still to do?

• Phase two will see the Environment Agency raise existing flood embankments along Greatham Creek, to reduce the flood risk to Port Clarence and land which is south of the Creek.

• There will also be a managed realignment of part of the current flood defences. This means a new embankment to the north of RSPB Saltholme Nature Reserve will be built around a larger area of land, and then the existing flood embankment will be breached.

• The Environment Agency will add around 30 hectares of intertidal habitat to the north of the nature reserve.

• It's expected to be finished by the end of 2018.

The project aims to reduce the risk of flooding from both the River Tees and Greatham Creek at Port Clarence, protecting 350 homes and 32 businesses.