Category: Innovation

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Innovation

Safeguarding success: St. Modwen Logistics and the ASEA Ecology Mitigation Flood Defence Project

Safeguarding success: St. Modwen Logistics and the ASEA Ecology Mitigation Flood Defence Project

One of the major businesses operating within the industrial and logistical hub of the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) is St. Modwen Logistics, a powerhouse in sustainable warehousing solutions.

St. Modwen Logistics is one of the UK’s most active developers of speculative logistics buildings. With a thirty-year heritage of developing complex sites, they currently own and manage a portfolio of more than 17 million sq. ft across the country.

For two decades, the company has been providing infrastructure and employment opportunities to the Avonmouth area. The latest phase of St. Modwen Park Access 18 was completed in May 2023, and a further 215,000 sq. ft of state-of-the-art warehouse space is to start on site through 2024.

We spoke to St. Modwen Logistics to find out how the flood defence project is helping future-proof their warehouses and thousands of local jobs for years to come.

Why Avonmouth Severnside?

St. Modwen Logistics’ decision to establish roots in the ASEA was strategic. As Carys Allen, Senior Development Manager, explains, “The ASEA is Bristol’s premium industrial and logistics hub and plays a key role in the St. Modwen Logistics portfolio.”

The area’s connectivity, in part thanks to its proximity to the M5 and M49 motorways, makes it an ideal location for logistics businesses seeking efficient transportation links. Furthermore, the availability of land presents ample possibilities for development, a fact that St. Modwen Logistics has capitalised on by delivering over 1 million sq. ft of modern warehousing space in the area since they began working here.

A commitment to sustainability

Central to St. Modwen Logistics’ ethos is the development of sustainable infrastructure. Their warehouses aren’t just buildings, they’re best-in-class and expertly designed to minimise environmental impact while maximising efficiency for their clients.

From small businesses to large e-commerce giants, St. Modwen Logistics tailors solutions to accommodate a diverse array of clients, ensuring that each tenant finds the perfect space to support their operations. 

Our customers make modern life possible, and we provide the perfect space they need to service their own customers in a timely fashion."

Carys Allen
St. Modwen Park Access 18 Avonmouth

Looking to the future

St. Modwen Logistics employs approximately 175 individuals directly, yet their impact extends far beyond their immediate workforce. The Park employs thousands of people across the various businesses which occupy it, supporting a thriving local economy. As they increase the size of their portfolio nationally, their sites across the South West will play a key role in this, including at Avonmouth. However, amidst ambitions lies a crucial consideration: resilience. Enter the Avonmouth Severnside Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project.

For St. Modwen Logistics, the flood defence project is a critical component of their development strategy. By protecting their infrastructure against flooding, they offer clients peace of mind, assuring them that their logistics operations are secure even in the face of a warming climate. Moreover, it’s a boon for the region, attracting new businesses and fostering economic growth.

Explaining the benefits of the flood defence project, Carys says, “Our customers can locate their business at our Access 18 site safe in the knowledge that precautions have been taken to protect their operations from the risk of flooding, and this comes with obvious economic benefits to the region, as well as ensuring a supply of jobs for residents.” She continues, “Thanks to this work, we can offer businesses peace of mind, which is helpful when trying to attract new companies to the area and encourage further growth.”

St. Modwen Logistics’ journey in the ASEA demonstrates the critical relationship between coastal infrastructure and regional prosperity. As they continue to expand their footprint, they do so with a keen eye on sustainability and resilience, ensuring that their legacy endures for generations to come.

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Innovation

ASEA project shortlisted for Flood and Coast Excellence Award

ASEA project shortlisted for Flood and Coast Excellence Award

We are very excited to be shortlisted for this year’s prestigious Flood and Coast Excellence Awards 2024 as a finalist in the Climate Resilient Places category.

The award recognises major flood and coastal risk management projects that improve place-based resilience to flooding and coastal change in a changing climate.

The winners will be announced at the awards dinner at the Telford International Centre on 5 June 2024. Wish us luck!

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Innovation

Bristol City Council cabinet members visit ASEA Flood Defence Project

Bristol City Council cabinet members visit ASEA Flood Defence Project

On Friday 15 March, we welcomed Bristol City Council cabinet members on a tour of the Bristol City

Council section of the ASEA project. They had the chance to see the progress we’ve made on installing flood defences at Avonmouth Docks and Lamplighter’s Marsh, and creating a new coastal wetland area at Hallen Marsh.

We were delighted to show Councillor Marley Bennett, Cabinet Member for Waste, Climate and Ecology and Councillor Don Alexander, Cabinet Member for Transport and Ward Member for Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston, how habitats for a diverse range of wildlife species are securing the long-term future of one of the country’s most important environments for wading birds.

Now that most of the works to introduce the new flood defences have been delivered, the focus is now on continuing efforts to develop the Hallen Marsh wetland environment and hand the site over to the Council to manage. Future works here will focus on maintaining wetland habitat to give the birds the roosting and foraging habitat they need, particularly when the high tide has covered the mud flats where they feed.

Ursula Stevenson, project lead, said: “We’re delighted that local leaders visited the new wetlands we have created, which enhance our natural environment and provide wildlife with space to thrive in the Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area. It was fantastic that the councillors saw how many bird species are thriving at this new habitat, and they were excited to see how the wetlands develop over years to come.”
Councillor Marley Bennett said: “Through our ecological emergency work, we’re committed to enhancing our natural environment while also improving the environment for people to enjoy, so I’m delighted to see the new wetlands created at Hallen Marsh begin to flourish.”

 

Our ecological work across the ASEA project doesn’t stop there. Water voles were released into Hallen Marsh in 2023 to make the most of the ditches and vegetation that provide them with the perfect habitat to thrive. The project has also provided a replacement otter holt to allow otters to continue to use an established commuting route. Over one hundred bat boxes are being installed across the project area, along with two barn owl nest boxes. One of these barn owl boxes has already been used to successfully raise three chicks.

This project is an example of how a balance between managing the impacts of climate change, sustainable growth and making space for nature can benefit all.

It was fantastic that the councillors saw how many bird species are thriving at this new habitat"

Ursula Stevenson
Councillors visit the new wetlands at Hallen Marsh
Councillors visit the defences built at Lamplighter’s Marsh
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Innovation

Walking at the Northwick Warth waterbird refuge

Waling in Northick Warth

Innovation

We’re welcoming walkers and birdwatchers back to Northwick Warth between Cake Pill and New Passage over the winter whilst works in the area are reduced.

The waterbird refuge at this location provides a haven for a range of species of ducks, geese, swans, and wading birds such as dunlin and curlew. The Severn Estuary is particularly valuable because it attracts many wintering and passage water birds thanks to a large amount of easily available food, like worms and molluscs. These visiting birds also come here because they need regular access to a network of secure and undisturbed roosts and feeding places. 

That’s why we’re asking walkers at Northwick Warth to do their bit to minimise disturbance to birds when they visit, by only using our specially designed mid-level path along the King Charles III England Coast Path. The public are not permitted to use the higher-level maintenance track on the crest of the bank. 

Natural England has recently installed signs along this area of the ASEA project to remind walkers to use the mid-level path, which has been designed to give them views of the estuary and help hide them from birds which make the salt marsh their home. 

Walkers who use the maintenance path along the top of the route will cause more disturbance to these important bird species which are critical to supporting the continued biodiversity of the estuary. 

We hope that all visitors enjoy the fantastic array of wildlife in the area over the coming months. 

Please be aware that the path may be closed again this year to allow the construction of a v-ditch along the route when weather conditions allow it, and the section near Pilning Wetlands may also have to be closed when we complete works in this area.

Waling in Northick Warth
Map showing location of the Northwick Warth waterbird refuge
Map showing location of the Northwick Warth waterbird refuge
Signage for users of the path at the Northwick Warth waterbird refuge
Signage for users of the path at the Northwick Warth waterbird refuge
Birdwatchers using the specially designed mid-level path at Pilning
Birdwatchers using the specially designed mid-level path at Pilning
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Innovation

ASEA project shortlisted for Local Government Chronicle Award

ASEA project shortlisted for Local Government Chronicle Award

We are very excited to be shortlisted for this year’s Local Government Chronicle Awards in the Climate Response category.

This category is intended to mark excellence in any aspect of a council’s work in addressing the carbon footprint of the council, its services and its broader local area. As a landmark partnership between South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency, the project is a strong contender for this category, as it seeks to protect the local communities and wildlife from existing flood risk.

Project Lead South Gloucestershire Council and Bristol City Council, Ursula Stevenson, said: “We are delighted to be shortlisted for this award, which is a wonderful reminder of the continued efforts of everyone at ASEA who are working to deliver new and improved flood defences. We are looking forward to the ceremony in the summer and wish the best of luck to everyone attending.”

Councillor Nicola Beech, Bristol City Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Strategic Planning, Resilience and Floods, said: “Being shortlisted for this award is a great accolade for Bristol and the hard work of the council and partners. Protecting residents and businesses from flooding, and preserving and enhancing our natural environment, is important as the risk of climate change is increasing. On behalf of the council, I’d like to wish the project team and partners the very best of luck at the award ceremony in June.”

LGC editor Sarah Calkin, said: “The LGC awards seeks to recognise and celebrate the absolute best in local government, and as this year’s shortlist shows there is no shortage of new ideas and fresh thinking across the whole host of council services. A massive congratulations to everyone on the shortlist, making it this far is a huge achievement in itself.”

A full list of the shortlists can be found here. The winners will be announced at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel, in London on 8 June 2023.

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Innovation

ASEA project welcomes local planning group for special site visit

ASEA project welcomes local planning group for special site visit

Last month the ASEA project team hosted a site tour for The Avonmouth Planning Group, as part of the team’s ambition to involve the local community. Once complete, the Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project (ASEA) will deliver 17km of flood defences from Aust in South Gloucestershire to Shirehampton in Bristol.

The team took the group on a minibus tour of the site, stopping to see the progress of the work and its benefits in the area.

The tour took visited the Bristol Port, along the River Avon Road, to see the precast flood defence wall and sheet piled flood defence wall, the flood defence at Severn Beach and outfall structure at Cake Pill. More information on the flood defences being constructed can be found here.

Tony Bajjada, ASEA Public Liaison Officer and Stakeholder Manager from contractors BMMJV, said: “Hosting the Avonmouth Planning Group at our site was a fantastic chance to show them how work here has progressed. Our work aims to protect the local community from risk of flooding and we really value actively engaging with local communities to share our work milestones and achievements.”

Christine Chard, Avonmouth Planning Group member, said: “We want to say thank you to everyone involved in our tour of the flood defence work, which was very informative and showed the extent of work both visible and invisible that is involved.”

The day was a great success and the team would like to thank to thank the Avonmouth Planning Group for attending, as well as the Bristol Port for their involvement, cooperation and help in coordinating the visit.

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Innovation News

New flood gates and glass panel defences commissioned at New Passage

Commissioning of flood gates and glass panels at New Passage

We have taken another leap forward this month with the commissioning of the flood gate and glass panel defences at New Passage, South Gloucestershire. This is a vital process towards ensuring that the new defences will help protect communities from the threat of flooding and rising sea levels. 

Weighing over a tonne, the flood gates used on the project are a substantial part of the flood defence network. Unlike those found elsewhere, these gates can be mechanically and manually operated. This makes it much easier to open and close them for Environment Agency staff in a range of circumstances. The flood gate at New Passage is one of several being installed throughout the 17km project area, with others at Lamplighter’s Marsh and in Aust.  

To perform the test, two tonnes of water was pumped behind the gate with site staff observing carefully for any leakages. If any were spotted, the seals on the gate were adjusted and the test resumed. The same process was repeated on a section of the glass panel flood defences at New Passage. You can watch a short video of the test taking place to gain an idea of how the flood gate and glass panels withstand the levels of water that are possible in decades to come. 

Colin Taylor, Senior Flood & Coastal Risk Management Advisor at the Environment Agency, said: “We have installed a flood gate to allow access to the seaward side of the new raised flood defences at New Passage. The testing of the flood defences that have been installed this year is a crucial point for the project. We are now seeing how they stand up to the kind of real-world conditions that may occur if sea levels continue to rise in the decades ahead.” 

Cllr Toby Savage, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Climate Change, said: “Seeing the flood gate and glass panel defences in action is a clear visual reminder of how far the ASEA project is has come. The rigorous testing happening now is incredibly important to give confidence to New Passage residents that the flood defences here will help provide protection from the effects of climate change and rising sea levels.” 

Cllr Nicola Beech, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Strategic Planning, Resilience and Floods, Bristol City Council, said: “I’m incredibly pleased with the progress being made on this ambitious project where we are now getting on with testing the flood defences that have been installed. The glass panel flood defences are one of several innovative solutions that will better protect residents and businesses from flooding in the future. They will also preserve views of the Severn Estuary which provides a home for internationally significant species of bird, such as curlew and shelduck.” 

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Innovation

New rock armour flood defence to protect water treatment infrastructure

New rock armour flood defence to protect water treatment infrastructure

This summer we continued our work creating and improving flood defences near the Bristol Port at Avonmouth, with the installation of huge boulders, known as rock armour at Holes Mouth Outfall.

You can watch a short video of the rock armour installation at the foot of this article.

Holes Mouth Outfall is operated and maintained by Wessex Water Services Limited and discharges water treated by its dedicated Water Recycling Centre. It is therefore critical that this infrastructure is protected from scour. Around 5,000 tonnes of ‘rock armour’ have been installed. The wider scheme will reduce the risk of tidal flooding across the Avonmouth and Severnside area.

Each of the boulders, weighing between one and three tonnes, have been transported from Cornwall. Skilled contractors ensure that each of the rocks interlock together to dissipate wave energy help to reduce erosion and flood risk. The project team has chosen rock armour at Holes Mouth because of its durability. The flood defences here will need almost no maintenance and will sit in place protecting the outfall culvert and adjacent flood defences for this century and beyond.

Colin Taylor, Senior Flood & Coastal Risk Management Advisor at the Environment Agency, said: “This section of the flood defence is the result of dialogue with Wessex Water, over how best to construct the flood defences without compromising the outfall structure”.

The rock armour is just one type of flood techniques being used for the project. Construction of earth embankments, sheet piling, flood walls and gates continues along the line of flood defences. The project is a partnership between South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council and the Environment Agency.

The largest of its kind in the region, the £80m project will provide 17km new and improved flood defences, from Lamplighter’s Marsh in the south to Aust in the north, once complete in 2026/27. The defences will help reduce flood risk to around 2,500 homes and businesses over the scheme’s lifetime. It will also create a minimum of 80 hectares (the equivalent of around 112 football pitches) of new wetland habitats for the internationally important Severn Estuary’s bird species.

 

The project will boost the regional and national economy by enabling development within the 1,800 ha Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area, helping to unlock 12,000 new jobs by 2026. Funding for the project has come from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, administered by the West of England Combined Authority. Other funding sources are Government’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid, and Local Levy raised by the Wessex Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. The contractor is BMMjv.

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Innovation News

Innovative new hybrid glass panel flood defence in place

Installed section of hybrid glass panel flood defence - February 2022

Innovative new hybrid glass panel flood defence in place

24 February 2022. We have achieved another milestone this month with an innovative hybrid glass flood defence at New Passage, South Gloucestershire. The glass panels, on a concrete base, were installed at New Passage because of its location as a popular viewpoint and birdwatching spot on the Severn Way footpath. 

You can watch a short video of the panels’ installation here.

The panels mean that residents and visitors will still be able to enjoy the breath-taking views of the Severn Estuary, while providing robust flood defence for years to come. Manufactured off-site, they were delivered directly to New Passage, minimising disruption to the public. Each panel has been fitted individually so that, if one were to be damaged, it could be repaired or replaced quickly without disrupting the rest of the flood defence.  

The glass panels are one of the innovative flood defence techniques being used along the project’s 17km stretch of coastline. Construction of earth embankments, sheet piling, flood walls and gates continues along the line of flood defences.  The project is a partnership between South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council, and the Environment Agency.   

Colin Taylor, Senior Flood & Coastal Risk Management Advisor at the Environment Agency, said: “This section of flood defence is the result of long-term consultation and dialogue with the local community. The plans have evolved extensively to create a hybrid form of flood defence with a concrete base and glass panel installed above. Not only will this help significantly reduce flood risk to the community here at New Passage from flooding in the years ahead, but it will also preserve the stunning views of the Severn Estuary.”  

Cllr Toby Savage, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Climate Change, said: “It is fantastic to see these glass panel flood defences installed at New Passage. Their innovative design was in direct response to feedback received from the community. This is a clear marker of the progress that we are making to help protect the Avonmouth and Severnside area from flooding for decades to come.” 

Cllr Nicola Beech, Cabinet lead for Climate, Ecology and Waste, Bristol City Council, said: “The completion of this part of the flood defence project is a great milestone for such an ambitious project, as well as a showcase of one of the innovative solutions that will better protect residents and businesses from flooding in the future, while preserving views of a landscape that is being improved to provide a better home for internationally significant species of bird, such as curlew and shelduck.” 

The largest of its kind in the region, the £80m project will provide 17km of new and improved flood defences, from Lamplighter’s Marsh in the south to Aust in the north, once complete in 2026/27. The defences will help reduce flood risk to the area from the increased risk of flooding from climate change and rising sea levels, reducing flood risk to around 2,500 homes and businesses over the scheme’s lifetime. It will also create a minimum of 80 hectares (the equivalent of around 112 football pitches) of new wetland habitats for the internationally important Severn Estuary’s bird species.  

The project will boost the regional and national economy by enabling development within the 1,800 ha Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area, helping to unlock 12,000 new jobs by 2026.  

Funding for the project has come from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, administered by the West of England Combined Authority. Other funding sources are the Government’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid, and Local Levy raised by the Wessex Regional Flood and Coastal Committee. The contractor is BMMjv (BMMjv Explained – Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area (asea-flood-ecology.co.uk).  

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Innovation News

Innovation in techniques: Creating natural refuges for wildlife

Work in progress to create hibernacula at Northwick

Innovation in techniques: Creating natural refuges for wildlife

17 December 2021. We are creating network of natural new refuges for local wildlife as part of our work on wetlands at Northwick, all part of the minimum of 80 hectares (the equivalent of around 112 football pitches) of new wetland habitat along the internationally important Severn Estuary.

The new refuges at the Northwick wetlands are made from grass, mud and other natural materials. Also known as hibernacula, they make a warm, moist and safe habitat for Great Crested Newts, other amphibians, reptiles and insects. Hibernacula also act as a well-stocked larder, with earthworms, slugs and spiders on offer, and provide protection from predators too.

During winter, the hibernaculum offers a safe place for reptiles and amphibians to hibernate. This is particularly important for Great Crested Newts who are largely inactive in winter.

Hibernacula are useful at many other times of year too. They offer shelter for breeding and from hot weather. The network at Northwick will give animals safe passage from the refuges to other areas. The hibernacula are an important part of our work to create and provide locations for wildlife to thrive. You can find out more about the project’s ecological mitigation work here. 

Work in progress to create hibernacula at Northwick