Environment Agency plans £20m of flood defences one year early to boost economy and protect 27,000 properties
Posted: Thursday 22nd January 2009
The Environment Agency has today announced the flood defence projects in England that are likely to benefit from £20m of funding to be brought forward from 2010/11 to 2009/10.
The move, set out by the Government in last week’s pre-budget report, is good news for an estimated 27,000 properties that may benefit from new or improved flood risk protection a year earlier than planned.
The final approval for the projects will be determined in February 2009, following the necessary feasibility studies and planning applications.
The extra £20m will provide a significant boost to the economy, helping to create jobs and investment in critical infrastructure.
Schemes that have been given the provisional go-ahead to commence work in 2009/10 include:
- A comprehensive flood risk management plan for Sheffield, that will provide a number of options, such as upstream storage or changes to land management, the implementation of which will result in an increased level of protection to 3,000 properties – over 1,000 of which were badly affected by the summer floods of 2007.
- In Deal (Kent), the improvement of sea defences will help protect against future sea level rise, which would otherwise lead to increasing flood damage in Deal by waves overtopping the seawall. The Environment Agency plans to strengthen the embankment in North Deal, failure of which would result in properties flooding. The overall scheme will provide substantially increased protection to over 3600 homes.
- The construction of two pumping stations and a replacement of a tidal sluice in the Barking and Dagenham area of London. These works will form part of the flood defences needed to reduce the risk from river and tidal flooding to the homes, businesses and vital infrastructure in the Thames Estuary.
Since the summer 2007 floods, the Environment Agency has completed 54 new flood defences, increasing protection to 38,000 homes, however it is not possible to prevent flooding everywhere. The Environment Agency is continuing to work with the public to ensure that people are as prepared as possible should flooding occur. The Environment Agency is urging individuals to understand their risk of flooding by looking at the free flood maps on its internet site and signing up to the free flood warning service.
Commenting on the announcement, the Environment Agency’s Chief Executive, Dr Paul Leinster, said: “This is good news for a number of communities at risk of flooding, as the government’s announcement will enable us to start some schemes more quickly. When completed, they will offer protection to 27,000 properties a year earlier than otherwise would have been possible.”
“We welcome the Government’s commitment to increase total funding for flood risk management to £2.15 billion over the next three years. Climate change will mean that the number of people at high risk from flooding could rise from 1.5million to 3.5million by 2080 and we need to do everything we can to protect homes and communities.”
