The Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) Ecology Mitigation and Flood Defence Project has won three awards at the ICE SW Civil Engineering Awards 2024. A panel of expert judges awarded the project with the Showcase Award and the Resilience Award. In addition, the project also won the South West People’s Choice Award, which was voted for by the public. The three awards recognise the project’s contribution to the region and the local communities, and its role in delivering climate change resilience, alongside habitat creation.
The ASEA project is delivering 17km of improved flood defences to safeguard 2,500 homes and businesses. It flanks the Severn Estuary, from Aust in South Gloucestershire to the Avonmouth Docks and Shirehampton in the Bristol area. In addition, the project is creating 80 hectares of new wetland habitat, which will support wildfowl and wading birds. Walking routes which span the coastal site are also being improved, including sections of the Severn Way long distance path.

The project is a joint partnership between The Environment Agency, South Gloucestershire Council and Bristol City Council. BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald joint venture is carrying out detailed design and construction. We provide landscape clerk of works services to the project. Our role involves monitoring the implementation of the extensive landscape and habitat creation works on site, including soil preparation, meadow creation, hedge and tree planting. We’ve seen the works progress through construction during our regular site inspections for over three years. It’s great to now see the wetlands establishing, wildflowers growing on the flood embankments, and wildlife thriving.
We are working alongside Binnies as part of the Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) Site Supervision team. Our work informs the wider, integrated project team of project partners, designers, contractors and professionals, who together make a project of this scale possible.

Congratulations to everyone involved!