A joint venture of BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald has won a £23m flood defence contract in Hull.

BMMJV will design and build new defences at a number of locations along the River Hull, and upgrade existing defences to protect around 45,000 properties from flooding.

 “Kingston-upon-Hull at present has safeguards that provide a 1-in-200 year standard of protection,” said Paul Ellis, operations manager for BAM Nuttall’s north of England office. “It’s vital that we continue to ensure a good standard of maintenance, while building additional new protection, to stop the city flooding.”

BAM will repair 39 hard defences within a 7.5km stretch as part of a wider £36.5m scheme by the Environment Agency.

BMMJV was appointed to the project through the Environment Agency’s Water & Environment Management (WEM) framework under a two stage tendering process.

New defences will use combi sheet pile wall, installed with marine plant, while concrete will be used to restore existing defences.

Work is planned to begin in spring 2017, with completion scheduled for autumn 2019.

Neil Longden, flood risk manager at the Environment Agency, said: “This scheme is brilliant for the people of Hull. Not only will it ensure much relief to the many residents whose homes are at risk of flooding but will kick start new developments and economic growth along the river corridor.”