Anchorwood Bank

Brownfield regeneration providing Flood Defence, Infrastructure, and Development-Ready Land

The Anchorwood Bank scheme forms part of Barnstaple’s broader flood protection strategy, enhancing existing defences along a sensitive stretch of the River Taw. The location is within the tidal lower estuary, where flood risks are driven by both river flow and high tides.

A complex sequenced civil engineering project including:

• Site preparation: Vegetation clearance and deposition removal along the river edge.

• Bank excavation: Carving out floodplain areas to accommodate new embankments while allowing controlled overflow.

• Piling and anchoring: Installation of steel sheet piles contiguous along critical sections to form a watertight barrier.

• Embankment build-up: Layered placement of compacted earth, with protective grass covers and soil filters to prevent erosion.

• Integration with town infrastructure: Tying into adjacent floodwalls and connecting paths to maintain continuity of defences.

The hybrid engineering solution combined hard structural elements (sheet piles, concrete footing) with softening features (grass mats, ecological considerations) for an environmentally sensitive design.