Protecting a community from flood risk through the Boston Barrier Scheme

Project overview

Protecting homes

The barrier project involves two main elements: the primary barrier and secondary vertical sector gates. The primary barrier, a 300 tonne, 25m wide rising sector gate, became operational in December 2020, meaning more than 13,700 properties are now better protected from the risk of tidal surges.

We have been part of the scheme since the very early stages. Initially commissioned to offer cost management services, our appointment was expanded to include project management services at the beginning of the project preliminary design stage in 2014. We then expanded our service to include project control functions such as planning and risk management.

Project STORY

Local boost

The project is the largest UK flood defence scheme currently in construction. Timely delivery of the project provides a transformational impact on the area’s potential by protecting over 800 businesses and 14,000 homes, and delivering benefits of more than £1.1bn to the UK taxpayer.

Our team also helped to promote trade within the local area. A total of 75 percent of the supply chain for the Boston Barrier is UK-based and the project team has worked hard to promote this, using local suppliers for consumables and small hand tools.

The project has also achieved an ‘Excellent’ CEEQUAL sustainable performance assessment, which is based on the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.