GovWire

Earlier flood protection for thousands of homes in the South East

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

March 18
13:42 2015

The government is bringing forward 41 million of the six-year flood defence programme announced in December to better protect more than 12,000 homes from flooding sooner than planned in the South East.

10 brand new schemes have been given the green light as part of the long-term investment programme and work will start on another 40 flood defence projects earlier than previously announced.

Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said:

What todays announcement means is greater peace of mind for thousands of people who are at risk from flooding across the South East.

Work will begin on 40 flood defence projects sooner than originally planned. This is another example of infrastructure funded by the UK Government as part of our long-term economic plan.

Key projects across the South East include:

  • A scheme in Southsea which will ensure that more than 2,300 homes are better protected from flooding has been brought forward by two years.
  • The development of the Great Stour Flood Alleviation scheme, between Wye and Fordwich, has been brought forward by three years, to protect more than 1,300 homes.
  • The Flood Alleviation Scheme at Marlow is a scheme brought into the programme which will help better protect around 280 properties from flooding and construction is planned to start in 2016.

The government is bringing forward more than 140 million of the 2.3 billion six-year flood defence programme announced in December to better protect more than 31,000 homes and businesses from flooding sooner than planned.

47 brand new schemes have been given the green light as part of the long-term investment programme and work will start on another 165 flood defence projects earlier than previously announced.

The 6 year programme represents a real terms increase in expenditure and will reduce flood risk across the country by 5%.

230,000 homes have been better protected from the risk of flooding and coastal erosion so far this Parliament.

Environment Agency Chairman Sir Philip Dilley said:

This programme of more than 1,500 flood risk management schemes will significantly reduce flood risk to more than 300,000 properties in England by 2021, benefiting people, the economy and the environment. Government funding has also been brought forward meaning that over 30,000 properties will benefit from reduced flood risk earlier than originally planned.

Our priority is to do as much as we can with every pound of funding from government and local partners, but of course the risk of flooding can never be entirely eliminated. With one in six homes in England at risk of flooding, I encourage people to check their flood risk and sign up to the Environment Agencys free flood warning service.

Notes to Editors

Please visit here for further information on the schemes.

Picture caption:

10 tonne rocks being delivered to Broomhill Sands, to form part of the 30 million coastal defence scheme located between Camber and Jurys Gap. The scheme will better protect 1,300 homes and over 100 businesses from flood risk and is due to be completed by the end of 2015. It is part of the Folkestone to Cliff End Strategy which, once complete, will reduce flood risk for 14,500 homes.

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