Hillside Contingency

The Environment Agency are in the process of reviewing the condition and the future requirements of a flood risk asset in Lenton. The asset is a flood wall adjacent to the River Leen and a private car park, off Leen Gate, near the Nottingham Queens Medical Centre (QMC).

The flood wall has begun to show signs of movement and rotation that will begin to impact its function if action is not undertaken.

The flood wall forms a part of the wider River Leen Flood Alleviation Scheme that was designed and constructed in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The Environment Agency are working with Nottingham City Council to review the future flood risk needs of Nottingham and the communities and businesses that reside near the Leen. This work is the Leen Strategy and it will look at the Leen catchment and future threats and opportunities presented by the likes of climate change and adaptation to this change.

The Leen Strategy recognises that the current flood risk assets are of a significant age and the flood wall near the QMC highlights the importance of the Strategy.

Whilst the Environment Agency consider the future design and location of any replacement flood wall options, we plan to install a temporary secondary flood wall, immediately behind the existing wall. This will provide the same standard of flood protection to the car park and surrounding hospital facilities, businesses and residential properties, should the existing wall fail.

The temporary structure is designed to take minimal space, and minimise any disruption, whilst providing a good standard of flood protection to those that depend upon the existing flood wall.

Works to construct the temporary flood wall are planned to commence in January 2026. The Leen Strategy project commenced in October 2025 and is aiming to deliver outcomes and recommendations in approximately 3 years. During this time the Environment Agency will be working upon design and options for the flood wall at QMC.