As a result of climate change and post-glacial geological processes, it is predicted that by 2050 relative sea level could have risen by up to half a metre in the Humber area. This poses a massive challenge to managing flood risks, especially as 90,000 hectares of land in the Humber area is at or below the level of the highest tides.

The scheme, part of a wider Shoreline Management Plan for the Humber Estuary which seeks to address these challenges, has specifically involved breaching the existing defences and flooding 440 hectares of intensively farmed agricultural land on the south bank of the estuary. The project is an example of a more sustainable way to address flood risk and at the same time demonstrates the concept of multifunctionality; breaching existing defences has created new wildlife habitats, led to agricultural diversification and increased recreational opportunities in the area.

Landscape architects Maslen Environmental were employed to provide stakeholder engagement services and external funding support to the Environment Agency. The role also included the preparation of a number of external funding bids, the facilitation of stakeholder and partnership meetings and the development of local community projects such as the South Humber Wildlife and People Project and the Alkborough Community Archaeology Project. This project has illustrated how value can be added to flood management projects through successful stakeholder and community engagement.