Press release: PLANS HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD FOR HULL’S £42M TIDAL FLOOD SCHEME

Proposals for a multi-million scheme to protect thousands of properties from flooding from the Humber has been put forward to Hull’s planning chiefs.

Planning permission is being sought for a £42 million Humber Hull Frontage Improvement Scheme to improve a 7-8 kilometre stretch of tidal flood defences in the Humber Estuary.

Led by the Environment Agency, the scheme has been designed to better protect 113,000 homes and businesses that are at risk from tidal flooding.

If the scheme gets planning approval, work will start at the end of the year and will be completed by the end of 2020.

Nine sites have been identified as part of the scheme including St Andrew’s Quay, Albert Dock and Victoria Dock Village for improved defences.

Contractor BMM JV – a joint venture between BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald – are set to deliver the project which will help improve flood risk along the city’s 19 kilometre waterfront.

Residents can view the detailed plans by visiting Hull City Council’s website:

If you have any questions about the scheme please email: humberhullfrontage@environment-agency.gov.uk

More information is available on our dedicated web pages:

In the past 65 years, there have been three major tidal events in Hull, the last was in December 2013 when 264 properties were flooded due to the overtopping of the existing defences. During high tides, water levels have the potential to rise to around 1 – 3m above some parts of the city.

Over the last few years, the Environment Agency has reviewed the existing Humber flood defences from Fleet Drain to the west of the city, through Hull, to Lord’s Clough in the east. This work has identified the nine sites where work is now being proposed.

Helen Tattersdale, project manager at the Environment Agency, said:

“It is vital for Hull to have improved defences to protect against the potential devastating tidal flooding from the Humber Estuary.

“This investment has enabled us to assess a significant length of the current flood defence walls and embankments that run along the Hull frontage to come up with a scheme that will better protect the city both now and in the future taking into account climate change.”

“Over the past few months, we have been gathering feedback on aspects of the design from local residents and landowners, and other interested organisations including Natural England, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and Hull City Council which have been taken into account in our proposals.”

These improvements in Hull are supported by a further four kilometres (2.5 mile) of new and raised tidal defences on either side of the city in the East Riding of Yorkshire, at Hessle and Paull, delivered by East Riding of Yorkshire Council in partnership with the Environment Agency.

The Humber Hull Frontage Improvement Scheme is one of a number of tidal flood alleviation projects that form part of the Humber Flood Risk Management Strategy. The Environment Agency and local partners are now in the process of developing an advanced approach to managing flooding in tidal areas by the River Humber for the next 100 years.

It will be a long-term investment that will contribute to securing the viability of Hull and the wider Humber region, ensuring it retains its place as the eastern gateway to the UK economy.

This long-term investment will contribute to securing the viability of Hull and the wider Humber region, ensuring it retains its place as the eastern gateway to the UK economy.



News story: Changes anticipated for marine licensing fees and charges

Updated: Bullet point added

The costs associated with marine licence applications made to the Marine Management Organisation are planned to change from 1 September 2018.

This follows a consultation held by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on proposals to revise marine licensing application fees, held between December 2017 and February 2018. The consultation outlined changes needed in order to maintain marine licence applicant fee rates in-line with the costs incurred by the MMO in determining a marine licence application.

The fee rate for a marine licence has not been changed since 2014. Since that time, the cost of determining a marine licence application has increased. These changes will help to ensure that the cost of a marine licence is not subsidised by the UK tax payer.

Defra has now published its response to the consultation and laid a Statutory Instrument in Parliament to provide the legal basis for the changes to take place.

Marine licensing fees from 1 September

The planned implementation date for the changes to marine licence application fees is 1 September 2018. The impact of the changes depend on the band of marine licence applied for and when the application is received/determined.

The MMO will soon update its guidance to reflect the new proposed fees. The main change is a revision of the hourly fee rate from £94 to £122 for Band 2 and 3 applicants.

From 1 September 2018 onwards:

  • new Band 2 and 3 applications received by the MMO will be charged the new hourly rate. This includes pre-application cases, applications and discretionary charges.

  • marine licence variations and post-consent work on marine licences will remain at £94 per hour

  • travel costs will be charged at the new hourly rate and will no longer be capped. Travel and subsistence costs will also be charged. MMO will publish details of their travel and subsistence policy shortly.

There will be a number of Band 2 applications ongoing at 1 September 2018 where the MMO has not yet made a determination. The MMO will introduce transitional arrangements for these and will provide bespoke advice and calculation of fees to applicants.

Band 2 applicants will continue to be charged under the old fee regime until they are determined. However the cap on total costs payable for the existing 2E category will be based on the new arrangements as this is set at a lower level than under the existing scheme.

There will be no transitional arrangements for Band 3 applications, ongoing cases will be charged at the new rate from 1 September.

Improvements to the marine licensing service

The consultation and Government response explain how the MMO has continued to improve marine licensing systems and processes and is committed to further enhancing these. Such changes, introduced since 2015 as part of a marine licensing improvement programme, are estimated to have collectively saved businesses around half a million pounds a year.

One such change was a self-service approach for some low-risk applications, which was included in the consultation.

In responding to the consultation the Government has made a number of commitments to further improve the marine licensing process and systems to make them more transparent and efficient. These commitments include:

  • Ensuring service standards are published on the MMO website and the delivery against these standards is monitored and reported
  • Ongoing monitoring of the marine licensing regime, with any opportunity to pass on efficiency savings to be considered under the next review of marine licensing application fees
  • Reviewing and publishing guidance on travelling relating to marine licence applications, using comments received as part of the consultation to inform this
  • Considering whether other specific activities could be added to the list of Band 1 activities when regulations are next reviewed.

The MMO welcomes feedback from marine licensing customers in order to further improve the system to meet their needs and continue to offer value for money.



News story: Changes anticipated for marine licensing fees and charges

The costs associated with marine licence applications made to the Marine Management Organisation are planned to change from 1 September 2018.

This follows a consultation held by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on proposals to revise marine licensing application fees, held between December 2017 and February 2018. The consultation outlined changes needed in order to maintain marine licence applicant fee rates in-line with the costs incurred by the MMO in determining a marine licence application.

The fee rate for a marine licence has not been changed since 2014. Since that time, the cost of determining a marine licence application has increased. These changes will help to ensure that the cost of a marine licence is not subsidised by the UK tax payer.

Defra has now published its response to the consultation and laid a Statutory Instrument in Parliament to provide the legal basis for the changes to take place.

Marine licensing fees from 1 September

The planned implementation date for the changes to marine licence application fees is 1 September 2018. The impact of the changes depend on the band of marine licence applied for and when the application is received/determined.

The MMO will soon update its guidance to reflect the new proposed fees. The main change is a revision of the hourly fee rate from £94 to £122 for Band 2 and 3 applicants.

From 1 September onwards:

  • New Band 2 and 3 applications received by the MMO will be charged the new hourly rate.
  • Travel costs will be charged at the new hourly rate and will no longer be capped. Travel and subsistence costs will also be charged. MMO will publish details of their travel and subsistence policy shortly.

There will be a number of Band 2 applications ongoing at 1 September 2018 where the MMO has not yet made a determination. The MMO will introduce transitional arrangements for these and will provide bespoke advice and calculation of fees to applicants.

Band 2 applicants will continue to be charged under the old fee regime until they are determined. However the cap on total costs payable for the existing 2E category will be based on the new arrangements as this is set at a lower level than under the existing scheme.

There will be no transitional arrangements for Band 3 applications, ongoing cases will be charged at the new rate from 1 September.

Improvements to the marine licensing service

The consultation and Government response explain how the MMO has continued to improve marine licensing systems and processes and is committed to further enhancing these. Such changes, introduced since 2015 as part of a marine licensing improvement programme, are estimated to have collectively saved businesses around half a million pounds a year.

One such change was a self-service approach for some low-risk applications, which was included in the consultation.

In responding to the consultation the Government has made a number of commitments to further improve the marine licensing process and systems to make them more transparent and efficient. These commitments include:

  • Ensuring service standards are published on the MMO website and the delivery against these standards is monitored and reported
  • Ongoing monitoring of the marine licensing regime, with any opportunity to pass on efficiency savings to be considered under the next review of marine licensing application fees
  • Reviewing and publishing guidance on travelling relating to marine licence applications, using comments received as part of the consultation to inform this
  • Considering whether other specific activities could be added to the list of Band 1 activities when regulations are next reviewed.

The MMO welcomes feedback from marine licensing customers in order to further improve the system to meet their needs and continue to offer value for money.



Press release: Preserving the past and present for the future

Future generations unearthing a time capsule in 100 years’ time will get an exciting glimpse of what life was like back when work was taking place to build the North East’s first ever triple decker roundabout.

Highways England has joined forces with businesses and schools in North Tyneside to capture what it’s like living in 2018.

The time capsule has been buried on site of the A19 Coast Road scheme and to mark the burial, a special ceremony has been held today with an official plaque unveiled by Mayor of North Tyneside, Norma Redfearn.

Highways England assistant project manager Steven Cox said:

We have been really pleased with the contributions we have received from the wider community who have been so enthusiastic about this project and I’m sure when it is dug up in a 100 years’ time it will give a fascinating insight into how things have changed.

There’s a wide range of items included from brochures and programmes to photographs and videos, so a big thank you to everyone. It was also a pleasure to invite the Mayor of North Tyneside, Norma Redfearn down to the site to unveil the official plaque today and to show her how work to create the triple decker junction is progressing.

We not revealing the exact location of the time capsule to avoid it being dug up early and spoiling the surprise but this has been recorded by North Tyneside Council for when it is dug up in 2118.

Elected Mayor of North Tyneside Norma Redfearn CBE said:

This really is history in the making. It’s a landmark project unlike any other in the North East and I’m delighted that local people have been able to get involved with filling and burying the time capsule.

The work to provide the new triple decker roundabout will bring benefits not just for people living here and now but for many generations to come. It’s great to think that those same people will one day reopen this capsule and be able to appreciate what life was like as the project was taking shape.

Work on the scheme is progressing and efforts to remove 80,000 cubic metres of soil to create the third layer of the junction is almost complete, further work such as drainage is also taking place.

The remainder of the project will include upgrading 1,175 metres of existing cycleway and adding a further 247 metres of cycleway to improve access round the junction. Work will also take place to install gantries which will display improved signage and surfacing of the new underpass and roundabout will be carried out. The scheme is due to be completed by the end of March 2019.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer



Press release: UK’s commitment to back Britain’s world class aid organisations in the event of a “no deal”

The International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, has today (Thursday 23 August) made a commitment to stand by and protect Britain’s world class aid organisations in the unlikely event that we reach March 2019 without agreeing a deal with the EU.

The European Commission (EC) currently requires UK aid organisations to prove at application stage that they are able to fund the delivery of humanitarian contracts should there be a no deal scenario. The vast majority of organisations are unable to make such a financial commitment up front, and so are being discouraged from applying.

British organisations play a leading role in life-saving aid programmes across the world.

To ensure this continues post March 2019, DFID will fund the cost of any new programme led by a UK aid organisation currently funded from the core budget of the EU’s humanitarian and civil protection agency (ECHO).

International Development Secretary, Penny Mordaunt said:

“I am pleased to give our world class British NGOs a firm commitment that the UK Government will help them overcome the difficulties that they have been facing.

“Aid delivered well has the power to change lives; this is what the UK does best and I will do all that I can to ensure that British aid organisations continue to play a leading role in helping some of the world’s most disadvantaged people.

“It is in everyone’s best interests that we reach an agreement going forward on our future relationship with the EU on development. An effective partnership will enable the UK and EU to jointly help the poorest and most vulnerable people.”

Today’s commitment from DFID will provide reassurance to UK aid organisations that they can bid for EC funding without potentially incurring additional financial risk. Support will be provided from funding that would otherwise have been channelled through the EU.

Ms Mordaunt has written to UK NGOs to confirm her funding commitment.

The letter states: “I am pleased to announce the Government’s commitment to support UK aid organisations from additional financial liabilities as a result of “no deal’ planning currently being undertaken by ECHO. This contingency plan would apply in the event that ECHO terminates funding to UK organisations when we leave the EU.

“I understand the difficulties you and your colleagues have experienced over recent months in applying for EU funding – funding for which you remain legally entitled to bid – and the frustrations you have faced in delivering the high-quality programming for which British development organisations are renowned. It is in neither the EU’s nor the UK’s interest that organisations which are best-placed are prevented from delivering our programmes.

“The UK wants to be a good development partner to the EU, now and in the future. We share a common goal of delivering excellent development outcomes for the world’s poorest. I am clear in my personal commitment to support UK organisations – the best in the world – to deliver on this common goal.”

Last month, the UK separately received important reassurances from the EU that UK aid organisations would not be discriminated against when bidding for contracts to deliver aid to refugees in Turkey.

Ms Mordaunt said she was pleased at these “reassurances” which relate to funding from the Facility for Refugees in Turkey.

At last month’s International Development Committee Ms Mordaunt highlighted the unfair contracts saying: “We are clear that the European Commission must remove these disclaimers it is using to hinder British aid organisations from delivering the common goal of alleviating poverty which would hit the world’s poorest people hardest.”