Serving the Teesside Business Community | 79
A FORCE FOR
Daren Smith of SABIC
(left) with the Environment
Agency’s Phil Marshall
surveying the work during
phase one of the project.
Inset: Greatham Creek.
L
GOOD
ocal industry has joined forces with
the Environment Agency to enable
the completion of a vital new Teesside
flood defence scheme that has created new
wildlife habitat the size of more than 90
football pitches.
Costing almost £16m, the Port Clarence
and Greatham South project will benefit
local residents and businesses as well as
providing a significant boost to local wildlife.
The project has increased flood protection
to Port Clarence residents from the River
Tees and Greatham Creek.
The scheme received significant funding
from chemical company SABIC, with INOVYN
ChlorVinyls offering land to allow the creation
of the new habitat.
Throughout the project, the Environment
Agency worked closely with the RSPB and
Natural England to create a scheme that
maximises benefits for the internationally
designated habitat which includes rare birds
as well as seals.
The new habitats also feature a brand new
bird hide and a seal hide to give nature-lovers
a close-up view of these stunning local
species.
Combined with flood defences that were
completed at Port Clarence in 2015, the
project reduces the risk of flooding to 350
homes and 32 businesses in Port Clarence
and the Seal Sands Industrial Complex.
Phil Marshall, the Environment Agency’s
senior advisor on the scheme, said: “This is a
project that has lots of fascinating elements
as it has a vital conservation area right in the
shadow of important industry.
“Our aim was to protect residents,
safeguard the infrastructure of business
and create a haven for wildlife to thrive, and
we’ve achieved all of that.
“It’s a great example of industry
stepping forward to protect the future of
the local economy and helping protect the
environment in an important conservation
area that is right on their doorstep.
“This has been a true partnership project,
which has helped us create something
which benefits the entire community.”
Daren Smith, SABIC’S Teesside site
director, said it had been wonderful to
work in partnership on a project that has
benefited wildlife while protecting residents
and businesses for the future.
“We remember only too well the
catastrophic tidal flooding of December
2013,” he said. “Our own land was severely
damaged by the flood and our employees
worked hard to rebuild some of the natural
habitats for wildlife that exist there. A
further 20 businesses were also affected at
the Seal Sands complex.
“We were delighted to step in and help
the Environment Agency with the funding
of this vital project. We care passionately
about the community and the environment
where we operate.”
As part of the scheme, the Environment
Agency worked together with Port
Clarence-based Wilton Engineering to
install removable steel flood defences along
the River Tees to improve flood protection
while still allowing Wilton to operate from
the river.
SABIC’s big role
in £16m Teesside
flood scheme
Community
champions
SABIC is a multinational company with
UK operations on Teesside at Wilton,
North Tees and Thornaby.
With a strong commitment to
Teesside, the vast range SABIC’s
corporate and social responsibility
(CSR) activities includes:
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Providing up to £80,000 worth of
water to RSPB Saltholme as well
as being corporate members for
the past ten years.
Being a major partner of the
Festival of Thrift which attracts over
£45,000 visitors to Kirkleatham.
Sponsoring the first Eston Nab
Challenge Hill Race.
Sponsoring litter picking equipment
and undertaking beach cleans.
Reaching out to over 5,000 school,
college and university students
through their educational outreach
programmes.
Supporting numerous local
charities throughout the year such
as MFC Foundation, Zoe’s Place,
Teesside Philanthropic Foundation,
RNLI Redcar and Daisy Chain.
Encouraging employees to
volunteer in the community.