The Environment Agency, funding partner Associated British Ports, and contractor JBA Bentleys delivered The Outstrays Managed Realignment Scheme
The Outstrays Managed Realignment Scheme (OMRS) at the Humber Estuary in Yorkshire has been delivered by the Environment Agency, in collaboration with Associated British Ports (ABP), working together with many other organisations.
The project, designed and built by JBA Bentleys, is creating a vast new 250-hectare area of habitat:
Much of the new habitat is compensatory habitat. Its creation replaces important intertidal habitat lost as a result of flood risk management work and port development in other parts of the estuary.
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Strategically, OMRS has enabled improvements to tidal defences that benefit more than 100,000 people, industry and infrastructure around the estuary, including in Hull, Hessle, South Ferriby and Stallingborough. It will also facilitate future port expansion by ABP.
The Environment Agency is supporting the government’s mission for growth: our flood risk management programme delivers significant economic benefits by protecting vital infrastructure and creating investment confidence.
New Intertidal Habitat
The new intertidal habitat at Outstrays has been created by building a state-of-the-art new 5.5km flood embankment and creating a breach in the old defence that allows the tide to flow in and out of the ‘basin’ created in between. The new embankment helps reduce flood risk to property and farmland in South Holderness.
We have also created other new habitats, including the wet grassland, new hedgerows and tree planting as well as preserving dune habitat. These all complement the intertidal areas, increasing biodiversity.
The Environment Agency has invested £35.5m delivering the improved flood defences, new habitat and improved public access, with an additional contribution of £9.8m from ABP. A further £11m is being invested in two new pumping stations (to be completed by 2027).
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Environment Agency Chair, Alan Lovell, said:
Throughout the scheme development and delivery, there has been a huge amount of engagement with the local community and wider organisations with regular updates through newsletters, a website, drop-ins, meetings and site visits, including delivering projects in local schools.
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Access For All
The Environment Agency’s Humber Strategic Manager, Helen Todd, said:
To facilitate that learning, the scheme is creating: two new car parks for visitors; four bird hides; a new bridleway with ‘Access For All’ surfacing at key sections; and a series of interpretation boards. The main path around the site is part of the King Charles III England Coast Path.
Two new pumping stations will be completed in 2026 and 2027, replacing older ones at Skeffling and Winestead Outstrays. Their increased capacities and carbon efficiency will make an important contribution to the management of flood risk for local residents, businesses and farmland.
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Andrew Dawes, Regional Director of Associated British Port (Humber) said:
Nick Lister, Director at JBA Bentley, said: