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PROJECTS
Saham Toney Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS)
Services
Natural Flood Management
Partnership Working
Location
Saham Toney
Thetford
Norfolk
Partners
Norfolk County Council
Start & Completion
Start: Late May 2025
Completed: Mid July 2025
The Saham Toney Flood Alleviation Scheme is a powerful example of how partnership working and the Public Sector Cooperation Agreement (PSCA) can be used to deliver real results for communities at risk of flooding.
By combining the in-house skills of the Norfolk County Council Floods and Water Team with the Norfolk Rivers Internal Drainage Board (NRIDB), and working closely with local landowners, we developed and delivered a scheme that reduces flood risk, enhances biodiversity, and does so in an affordable and sustainable way.
This project demonstrates the expertise that exists within the public sector and how, with shared vision and leadership, we can deliver highly effective, environmentally positive solutions for local people.
Project Overview
The project created a 21,000m³ offline attenuation basin upstream of Saham Toney, providing significant storage capacity to hold back floodwater during heavy rainfall events.
Key features of the scheme include:
- Construction of raised embankments using clay material won on site, eliminating the need for imports, reducing costs, and lowering the carbon footprint.
- Incorporation of permanent ponds, ensuring the basin acts as a wetland environment when not in use, providing ecological and habitat benefits alongside flood protection.
- Delivery of a major earthworks project using bulldozers, rollers, excavators, and dumpers, with embankments compacted to design specification for long-term stability.
The scheme was delivered on time and to budget between late May and mid-July.
By slowing the flow of water in the uplands, the scheme now reduces flood risk for around 30 properties downstream, which were affected during the 2020 floods.
Benefits
This project is a testament to the strength of collaboration between local government, the IDB, contractors, and the community. Through the Public Sector Cooperation Agreement, efficiencies were realised at every stage, enabling the project to be delivered cost-effectively while also building knowledge and skills across teams.
The benefits of the scheme go beyond flood protection:
- Safeguarding homes and land: Around 30 properties downstream are now better protected from future flood events.
- Enhancing biodiversity: The new attenuation area provides wetland habitat, encouraging a greater diversity of species and improving the ecological value of the landscape.
- Supporting sustainable practice: By maximising use of local resources and reducing reliance on imported materials, the scheme has kept its carbon footprint low.
- Building resilience in the public sector: Close partnership working has strengthened in-house expertise, ensuring lessons learned will support future schemes across Norfolk.
This integrated approach shows what can be achieved when organisations and landowners work hand in hand to create solutions that protect communities while enhancing the natural environment.
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