The Environment Agency is set to deliver a major capital maintenance project on the northern (left) bank of the Dutch River, part of the River Don, near Goole.

Construction work on the project began in early October and will take approximately two years to complete. The construction programme has been designed to minimise disruption, where possible. The £17 million project, which includes £8.2 million in construction costs, will strengthen around 10 kilometres of existing defences. The work is designed to reduce the likelihood of a failure or breach and to maintain the current standard of flood protection for years to come.

The scheme is funded by the Environment Agency alongside its partner, the Goole Town Deal Board, which has allocated a share of £25 million in funding awarded to the town by the Government to drive economic regeneration. The £3.1 million contribution from Goole Town Deal means that this work is going ahead much sooner than planned and will incorporate a ‘greenway corridor’ to enable pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy the great outdoors. The corridor will extend close to five kilometres and be built alongside and on top of the Dutch River flood defences.

Once complete, the scheme will help protect approximately 10,000 properties in Goole and the surrounding villages and is expected to deliver £190 million in economic benefits while also helping to create the conditions for further investment and development in the local area.

The Dutch River has been central to the history of Goole for nearly 400 years. Originally engineered in the 1620s by Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden to drain marshland for farming, it later helped open up trade links by carrying coal from the South Yorkshire coalfield to the port of Goole.

In the 1800s, engineers developed the innovative Tom Pudding boat system, which became a symbol of Goole’s thriving coal export trade.  Today, the river continues to play a vital role in supporting the local economy. This new scheme forms part of the Environment Agency’s long-term commitment to reducing flood risk, protecting communities, and building climate resilience across the country.

Dean Hamblin, Environment Agency Flood and Coastal Risk Management Senior Advisor, said: “This is a significant investment in the future resilience of Goole and its neighbouring villages. By strengthening the Dutch River defences, we are helping to protect thousands of homes and businesses, while also unlocking wider economic benefits for the region. It’s a vital step in ensuring communities are better protected against flooding now and in the future.”

Phil Jones, Chair of the Goole Town Deal Board, said: “It’s exciting to see work on this project, one of eight that has been allocated a share of Goole’s Town Deal funding, getting underway. The Goole Town Deal funding allocated to this project will be spent at the Goole end of the Greenway Corridor, and we see this project as a fantastic opportunity to improve connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as helping to give people better access to the town’s waterways, nature and green spaces.”

The UK is experiencing more frequent and intense extreme weather due to climate change. After the first named storm of the season just over a week ago, communities are warned not to be complacent about the risk of flooding even though drought is still being felt in some parts of the country. Around 6.3 million homes and businesses are in areas at risk of flooding in England from rivers, the sea or surface water.

Click here to learn more about how you can prepare for flooding: Prepare for flooding: Protect yourself from future flooding – GOV.UK.