Beales Corner: Bewdley flood defence work on track

Beales Corner has a long history of significant flooding which has had a serious impact on the local community over the years. 

This includes most recently in 2020, 2021 and 2022 where homes and businesses were left flooded. 

After the flooding in 2020, funding was made available by the government for impacted communities, enabling the Environment Agency to consider a flood risk management scheme for the Beales Corner area of Bewdley and to help keep the main Kidderminster and Stourport roads into the town open at times of flooding.

The project, which started in early summer 2023, aimed to replace the low-level temporary flood barriers that were used to provide a far higher standard of flood protection.

In the latest update on the work, the Environment Agency confirmed the project is on track to be completed next year and gave an update on the work over Christmas.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "The project team is working hard to complete the works by autumn 2025

"The road over Bewdley Bridge will be open over the Christmas period from December 20, 2024, to January 6, 2025, when construction will be paused." 

The progress on the scheme has been visible to residents and businesses in the area over the past few months with the piling completed in August as well as the flood wall core. 

There is currently a one-way system over the bridge whilst the flood defence work is carried out. 

In the August update, the Environment Agency said: "Our contractors Jackson and the project team as a whole have been working well with the local community.

"We have also recently led a series of site walkovers to present our progress, with opportunity for key stakeholders and residents to ask questions and get an indication of future work and timescales."

For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/environment-agency-welcomes-approval-of-its-planning-application-to-protect-beales-corner-in-bewdley-worcestershire-from-flooding