River Itchen Flood Alleviation Scheme (RIFAS)
Southampton City Council and the Environment Agency are working in partnership to design and build the River Itchen Flood Alleviation Scheme (RIFAS). The scheme aims to reduce the risk of tidal flooding to the west bank of the River Itchen, including to areas of Northam, St Marys, and Chapel.
Where is the scheme?
The proposed scheme frontage extends from Mount Pleasant Industrial Estate in the north, to the Southampton Water Activities Centre, just south of the Itchen Bridge. Presently, there are no formal flood risk structures to protect the city from tidal flooding in this area. Where flood infrastructure does exist, it is in private ownership, offers various degrees of protection and is at varying conditions. Existing quay walls, structures, and land heights are not high enough to provide the level of protection needed from more frequent and severe flooding events expected in the future, with climate change.
View a map of the scheme extent.
The map shows the River Itchen to scale. The start point is close to the Itchen Bridge and stretches to Bevois Valley.
Why the scheme is needed
- Currently over 150 homes and 200 businesses are at risk from tidal flooding
- The provision of new flood risk management infrastructure will reduce tidal flood risk for over 1100 homes and 900 businesses by the year 2115
- Key infrastructure, including electricity sub-stations, roads, rail, and listed buildings, are at risk from tidal flooding
- Flooding of businesses and public footways has occurred along the proposed scheme frontage occasionally over the past 20 years. High magnitude events have caused damage and disruption to local businesses, including significant flooding events occurring in 2014, 2008, and 2005
Where we are now
At the beginning of 2019, we agreed a partnership with the Environment Agency to relaunch the RIFAS. We are currently in the outline design stage of the scheme, developing our design options to deliver a feasible flood alleviation project.
The timeline shows the board milestones for the scheme, starting with option planning until early 2022, Outline Business Case in July 2022, detailed design from 2023-2027, Full Business Case in April 2027, and followed by construction from 2027-2030.
The options stage of the programme involves coming up with a number of feasible options that work for the area and meet our criteria including engineering suitability, cost, benefit, and environmental impact. Work within this stage results in an ‘Outline Business Case’, a report which shows all the workings and justifications towards each of the potential options, and evidence for the preferred one. The report is submitted to the Environment Agency for approval at gateway two in 2022 (G2). Further gateways occur after the Full Business Case in 2027 (G3) and completion of construction in 2030, G4.
Meet the organisations
The River Itchen Flood Alleviation Scheme Project Team consists of members from both partnership organisations, Southampton City Council and the Environment Agency, as well as colleagues from JBA Consulting and VolkerStevin who are leading on design and construction, and Dalcour Maclaren as land agents.
Southampton City Council SHOW
Southampton City Council is designated as a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) under the Environment Agency SHOW
The JBA Consulting SHOW
JBA Consulting is part of the JBA Group, an environmental, engineering, and risk group. They are committed to exceptional client service, helping to improve the environment, business, and infrastructure.Dalcour Maclaren SHOW
Dalcour Maclaren (DM) delivers sustainable land and environmental solutions for utility and infrastructure clients across the UK, providing consultancy and expertise on consents, stakeholders, and assets.VolkerStevin SHOW
VolkerStevin is a construction and engineering company that achieves its long-term business goals through the delivery of high quality solutions and the development of trusting, sustainable relationships with each and every stakeholder.Contact details
For more information and answers to any questions you may have, please see our frequently asked questions.
For any further details or enquires about the RIFAS, please contact a member of the project team.
| Document | Type | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Scheme Extent Map | 61.0 KB |
