KGAL flood contract

In November 2012, after extensive research and public consultation, The Environment Agency published recommendations for managing flood risk through London and the Thames estuary (TEAM 2100). The visionary 100-year plan was broken down into phases. The first phase, TEP1, covering the next 7-10 years, was put to tender earlier this year.

Against strong competition from four other contenders, the work has now been awarded to a delivery partnership led by CH2M HILL and comprising KGAL, Balfour Beatty, Qualter Hall, Critigen and Hunton Engineering.

KGAL specialises in the structural, mechanical, electrical and hydraulic engineering design for water control; from simple gates to significant hydraulic steel structures. The business already claims considerable local knowledge and engineering experience of the River Thames eastern barriers at Barking, Dartford, Tilbury and the Canvey Island defences (as well as tidal surge barriers elsewhere).

Speaking after the consortium’s kick off meeting in London, KGAL director Dave Griffiths said “We’re hugely impressed by the track record and expertise of consortium colleagues; we know many of their engineers personally and of the projects they’ve undertaken individually or with us as collaborators. I’m sure our own previous work for EA, and the synergy within this new delivery team, will have had a part to play when the Agency evaluated the competing proposals”.

By Jake Frith