Hull unveils lagoon plans to protect against flooding

It is claimed the lagoon will protect Hull from tidal flooding

Plans to create a lagoon on the Humber Estuary to protect Hull from tidal flooding have been revealed.

Lagoon Hull, the firm behind the idea, claimed it would protect people living and working across the region from the worst effects of climate change.

The £1.5bn project would also feature a new relief road on the edge of the lagoon to help reduce congestion.

The road would run for 11km (6.8 miles) from Hessle foreshore to Victoria Dock, the people behind the idea said.

The concept was the brainchild of businessman Tim Rix, who said he was looking to raise funds for further research.

"Lagoon Hull is an incredibly ambitious project but one with so many potential benefits, I feel everyone should get behind to help make it become a reality," he said.

A new road built along its perimeter will ease traffic congestion in the city

Project director Paul Hatley said the team behind the plan had spent several years researching the benefits and had collected enough evidence to justify Lagoon Hull being looked at by central government.

"All indications are that it would fully protect Hull from tidal flooding now and in the future and would hugely reduce the effects of tidal flooding on other areas of the estuary, including the south bank," he said.

In addition to flood protection, they claimed the scheme could generate £1bn a year for the local economy through the creation of 14,000 jobs and reduced congestion.

Further feasibility work would be expected to take between five and 10 years once funding was secured, with the build itself expected to take a further five years.

The plans have been widely welcomed, including by local MPs Diana Johnson, Emma Hardy and Karl Turner, who called it "a game-changer".

Hull has been claimed to be the most vulnerable city in the UK to coastal flooding and rising sea levels after London.

A £42m scheme to upgrade existing flood defences was given the go-ahead earlier this year.