The Environment Agency has begun work on the ambitious Skinningrove flood scheme, replacing and upgrading several anti-flood elements
The flood alleviation scheme will replace the Stone Row Bridge as well as several manual flood gates, more effectively protecting Skinningrove Beck.
The Environment Agency has partnered with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council for the £13m scheme, and works are due to be completed in 2028.
More than 100 homes need flood protection
The current manual flood gates and demountable parapets at Stone Row Bridge are operated by the Agency, and are utilised when high water levels are forecast for the River. However, the beck’s levels can rise rapidly, meaning that the manual defences are sometimes used at very short notice.
Furthermore, when in use, the manual defences are often left closed for extended periods, reducing vehicle access for residents in Zetland Row and Grove Hill.
The new scheme will remove these manual defences and replace Stone Row Bridge with a new bridge between Company Row and Zetland Row, with the deck above the height of the existing flood walls, removing the need for flood gates.
Planning permission was granted for the project in February 2026 to carry out two phases:
- Work on the new bridge is scheduled to run from September 2026 to late 2027, with piled foundations and abutments installed on both sides of the beck before a crane lifts the new structure into place near the Riverside Building. A temporary access road will be provided for Grove Hill residents during the construction period.
- Demolition of Stone Row Bridge and infilling of the existing flood walls will follow between December 2027 and early 2028.
Andrew Turner, flood risk operations manager at the Environment Agency, said: “Once complete, this scheme will deliver a genuine step-change in flood protection for the community of Skinningrove.
“The new bridge will eliminate the need for manual operation of the flood gates altogether, removing the disruption and uncertainty that comes with the current arrangements.
“It will also sit higher above the watercourse than the existing bridge, which means debris carried down the beck during heavy rainfall is far less likely to cause a blockage – one of the factors that can make flooding in the village worse.
“This is a long-term solution that will make a real difference to people’s lives.”
England to see far worse floods
Analysis by Aviva in February found that between 2022 and 2024, 11% of new homes in England had been built in areas of medium or high risk of flooding, and the numbers are only increasing.
As risk of extreme weather events increases due to climate change, this number can climb up to 30% of homes built in 2024 alone to be at some risk of flooding by 2050.
Jason Storah, CEO UK & Ireland General Insurance, Aviva, said: “We support the government’s plans to build more homes to help drive economic growth. Aviva, as a long-term investor in the UK, has already committed £25bn over the next decade, including into social infrastructure, to support national growth and economic resilience.
“However, this growth needs to be sustainable and it’s vital, therefore, that new homes are built in the right places and with resilience in mind to help homeowners get ready for future impacts.
“As our analysis shows, too many new homes have been built in higher risk areas. It’s particularly worrying that this trend has risen in recent years, just as house building accelerates.
“Importantly, these homes are not protected by the Flood Re scheme, which excludes homes built after 2009 to prevent more new homes being put at risk. Sadly, as the study shows, this simply hasn’t happened.”
Read more about the research here.
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