Matlock Flood Wall scheme wins multiple awards at prestigious civil engineering event

The Matlock Flood Wall project, delivered by Jackson Civil Engineering, working with the Environment Agency, Derbyshire County Council and Derbyshire Dales District Council, took the highest accolade — a Merit award — in three categories: Team Achievement; Large Project (over £10m) and the Judges Sustainability Award. The Large Project award was sponsored by Socotec UK. The Sustainability Award is presented to projects that showcase a high level of compliance with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is awarded at the judge’s discretion. During February 2022 Storm Eunice caused extensive flood damage to homes and businesses in the centre of Matlock. During the storm the flood wall collapsed, which presented a serious flood risk to the town. The critical requirement was to reinstate the town’s flood defences before the following winter season. To rebuild the flood wall heavy piling was required, which presented a unique challenge — the piles had to be installed from across a watercourse adjacent to sensitive structures. All plant and materials also had to be lifted to the site, using the second largest mobile crane in the UK. This project demonstrated a significant effort to support net zero goals from all partners involved. The partnership focused on the protection of Matlock, aligning with United Nations SDGs 9 and 11, by providing safe and resilient infrastructure. In conferring the three Merit awards, the judges applauded the local supply chains that were put in place to expedite the repair and they recognised the high levels of teamwork and collaboration required to deliver a complex, high profile project. The judges were also impressed with the communications strategy that ensured that members of the public and business owners were kept up to date on the progress of the project. Commenting on this year’s awards, ICE East and West Midlands Regional Director, Jo Barnett, said: “Our awards this year allowed us to celebrate the many sustainable benefits that civil engineers have on our everyday lives. “This recognition serves as a reminder of the innovation, dedication and excellence that drive the profession, shaping a better future for all.” The ICE East Midlands Merit Awards attract entries from civil engineering projects and people from across the region.