Sustainable Bubble Curtain at Bewdley

The town of Bewdley in Worcestershire is subject to significant flood risk from the River Severn, and has flooded numerous times over the past decades.

The scheme involves the construction of 350m of flood defence along the left bank of the river and will consist of a combination of demountable flood barriers and permanent raised walls with state of the art glass panels to maintain views across the river.

Once complete, the scheme will reduce the flood risk for more than 50 properties and maintain access to 160 businesses, as well as schools and other public services in the town.

The aim of the sustainable bubble curtain trial was to reduce noise and emissions while maintaining effective silt control and other environmental protection challenges in a sensitive river environment during construction.

The project required a solution that could:

• Run diesel-free and quietly overnight

• Minimise disruption to nearby residents

• Operate reliably in a noise-sensitive, environmentally protected river corridor

• Reduce carbon emissions and pollution while maintaining performance.