Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme hits key milestone with completion of St George’s Walk
Kendal’s Flood Risk Management Scheme has reached another major milestone, marking a moment of real progress for the town as Gooseholme Common takes a significant step toward being fully restored and reopened to the public.
VolkerStevin, delivering the scheme on behalf of the Environment Agency, completed the latest phase of reinstatement work in time for the Easter holidays, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy improved access through one of Kendal’s most cherished green spaces. St George’s Walk, closed throughout construction, has officially reopened with a wider footpath, new drainage, and a fully resurfaced road and walkway. The vehicle barrier at Thorny Hills has also been returned to its original position, restoring the familiar layout of the area.
This reopening follows the earlier completion of The Fern Garden, a beautifully landscaped space that showcases the first of the scheme’s bespoke glass-panel flood defences. These transparent panels are designed to maintain the much‑loved views of the River Kent while providing robust protection from future flooding.
While the improvements above ground are already visible, much of the work that makes this milestone possible has taken place out of sight. The Gooseholme Common section of the scheme has involved some of the most technically challenging engineering on the entire project, including:
- A major United Utilities sewer diversion
- Installation of custom-designed glass flood walls
- Construction of underground infrastructure to house three high‑volume pumps
- A new Stock Beck culvert system connecting to a redesigned outfall on the riverbank
- A new Motor Control Centre (MCC) to power the pumps during flood conditions
The MCC building is now structurally complete, with electrical commissioning due to finish before summer.
Once fully completed later this year, the final phase of reinstatement will return the whole Gooseholme Common area to the community, enhanced, accessible, and better protected. The wider Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme will ultimately reduce flood risk for more than 1,920 homes and over 2,250 businesses, strengthening the town’s resilience for generations to come.
