MORE than 300,000 homes across the UK are better protected from the effects of climate change compared with 2015 – including some 2,000 in Warrington.
This was announced by the Environment Agency today as it revealed it had exceeded its target in delivering the government’s £2.6 billion investment in flood and coastal defence schemes over the last six years.
The agency and partners have completed more than 700 projects to better protect more than 300,000 homes, nearly 600,000 acres of agricultural land, thousands of businesses and major pieces of infrastructure.
In Warrington the River Mersey Flood Alleviation Scheme, completed in January 2018, t is one of the largest value flood defence projects constructed in the North West in recent times, and significantly reduces flood risk to the town which has for years been no stranger to flooding – given it sits in naturally low-lying land and within the path of the River Mersey and its tributaries.
The £34 million scheme brings increased flood protection to properties in nine residential and public areas of Warrington, better protecting the more than 2,000 Warrington homes and businesses who have experienced flooding in the past and are aware of the destruction it can bring.
Comprising 5km of flood walls and 2.2km of embankment, the 7.2km scheme has improved amenity and recreational opportunities, as well as habitat conditions along the river corridor. At the Twiggeries site behind Kingsway North, a 500m section of Padgate Brook has been realigned to create a more natural look and five hectares of reed bed habitat has been established to attract wildlife to the area.
The agency’s work, which has continued through lockdown with Covid-secure working arrangements, will not only help to save the economy more than £28 billion in avoided damages over the lifetime of defence assets, but also provide reassurance and peace of mind for communities and encourage economic growth.
Successful delivery of the programme comes ahead of the start of the record £5.2 billion investment in 2,000 new flood and coastal defences between 2021 and 2027.
Ollie Hope area flood and coastal risk manager for the Environment Agency in Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire said: “We have made great progress in the last six years to reduce flood risk across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire and this milestone of 300,000 homes better protected shows how far we’ve come.
“ In excess of £115 million has been invested in flood defences across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire and we have seen the completion of major schemes such as, Warrington and Northwich, all of which are helping to bring peace of mind to communities, as well as investment and opportunities.
“In addition to building new defences, we are also slowing the flow of flood water with schemes such as Blackbrook in St Helens leading the way. We look forward to using the next six years of investment in our flood and coastal defences to ‘build back better’ by making properties more resilient to flooding, and ‘build back greener’ by working with nature to make us more resilient to climate change.”
