Benacre and Kessingland flood risk management project

Creating a sustainable flood risk solution in Benacre and Kessingland, protecting residents, properties, agricultural areas, businesses, and essential infrastructure.
Shows visually the coastal erosion around the pump house from 1985, to 2003 to 2018.
A timeline of images showing how the coast is eroding and the need for the scheme. (1985 image courtesy of Mike Page / 2018 image courtesy of Edward Vere Nicholl, Benacre Estates)

The project is taking place because the current pumping station and the entire valley are at significant risk from the ongoing erosion of the beach. This means breaches of the sea defences are expected to occur in the next couple of years, without action being taken now.

The project will create 82 hectares of intertidal habitat, which would significantly reduce all forms of flooding. The project has considered how to best provide new and enhanced habitats for wildlife, alongside improved coastal access for walkers and coastal users.

If the scheme did not go ahead, it is estimated coastal flooding would threaten 35 homes, 46 businesses, the A12 roadway, and 450 hectares of valuable farmland. The economic impact, were the scheme not to go ahead, is estimated to be £235m over the next 50 years. There would be significant costs to the county council from managing regular road closures and delivering an alternative long-term solution to protect the A12.

Overall, £61.8 million has been committed to the project with £32.1m coming from the Environment Agency and £25m from Sizewell C. The county council itself has committed £4.7 million to the scheme.

The Benacre and Kessingland flood risk management project is a capital scheme delivered by the Water Management Alliance, the latest project newsletters can be found on the Water Management Alliance website.

Project timeline

This is the current planned timeline for the project

  1. Planning application and consent for a Certificate of Lawful use for the redevelopment of the pumping station and the construction of new embankments.

    Environmental impact screening opinion - Land to the west of Benacre pumping station South of Kessingland.

  2. The construction contract has been awarded awarded to Balfour Beatty. Enabling works including vegetation clearance, water vole mitigation and ecology surveys will be completed by the end of the year. The construction of compounds, haul routes, and the importation of clay to the site, will commence. 

    A planning application for the extraction of the clay required to build the sea defences, has been submitted to Suffolk County Council, which is the Minerals Planning Authority so will determine this planning application. Details can be found online.

    The applicant is undertaking a public engagement event at Gisleham Village Hall on 24 July 2025, 4pm – 7pm.

  3. Phase 1 works by UK Power Networks will commence, alongside additional tasks such as constructing the initial embankment, installing sheet piling for the pumping station, and carrying out further building works

  4. Works will include further embankment construction, pumping station construction and excavation of the river.

  5. The pumping station will be commissioned and intertidal channel works will take place.

  6. The old Benacre pumping station will be fully demolished, rock materials recovered, and all haul routes and construction compounds removed from the site.

  7. It is anticipated that the project will reach completion by summer 2030.

More information

Read an opinion piece by Cllr Richard Rout on the benefits of the right project.