Work has begun on the third and final stage of a £1.7m collaboration agreement between Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) and the Environment Agency (EA), to upgrade the existing flood defences along Poole Quay.

The project in Poole will see 375m of quay wall being updated to reduce the risk of flooding in the town. These works are due to be completed by May 2019 offering an immediate increased level of tidal flood protection to over 260 properties in the area.

The project was split into 3 distinct phases and has included the installation of new sheet piled walls, concrete parapet walls, raised surfacing and associated drainage works as well as the replacement of timber fenders.

The collaboration has allowed PHC to safeguard the integrity of the Quay structure whilst enabling EA to fulfil their requirements for flood defence.

Phil Armstrong, Harbour Engineer for Poole Harbour Commissioners said “Our partnership has enabled us to protect homes and businesses from the flood risks presented by Global Warming now and for many years to come. Without these essential works the current quay wall would provide a one-in-200-year standard of protection until 2020, but the as a result of the current work we can continue to provide this standard of protection through to 2060”.