Coastal and Flood Risk

Richard Jackson Ltd had recently designed a new build residential scheme on part of the former Neptune Marina adjacent to the Wet Dock in Ipswich.

The client proposed to complete this phase of development with a new office block, with a basement car park. The change in policy by the EA between these developments resulted in a more vigorous approach to flood risk. Ipswich has limited flood defences in the Wet Dock area. As required by the Environment Agency we undertook a breach analysis of these defences and provided flood levels for the area surrounding the proposed buildings.

We also assessed the surface water drainage disposal for the new building and provided a strategy. As these proposals were for commercial use it was possible to manage the use of the building such that it would not be occupied when a high risk of flooding occurred.

We also proposed that the basement be constructed to withstand the potential flooding by resilient construction.

This ensured that in the unlikely event of a flood, reoccupation of the building could take place in a short timeframe.