A £2.6 billion six-year programme of work dedicated to improving flood and coastal defences has better protected more than 314,000 homes – 14,000 more than its original target – since 2015.
More than 850 new flood and coastal erosion defence projects have been completed during this period. Over 580,000 acres of agricultural land, as well as thousands of businesses, communities and major infrastructure – including more than 8,000 kilometres of roads – also benefited from improvement schemes.
Analysis in a new report shows this work is estimated to have reduced national flood risk by five per cent.
Notable schemes that benefited from investment in 2015-2021 include the Warrington and River Mersey Flood Alleviation Scheme completed in January 2018. It is one of the largest value flood defence projects constructed in the region in recent times, and significantly reduces flood risk to the town which has 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 9 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 5 hectares of reed bed habitat has been established to attract wildlife to the area.
Alongside delivering on its headline target, Defra’s capital investment programme from 2015-2021 has also brought wider benefits to both the environment through the creation and enhancement of natural habitats, and also local communities, through better protecting nationally important infrastructure and wider contributions to economic recovery. Early analysis suggests the programme of work over the last six years has saved the economy more than £28 billion in avoided damages to properties, businesses and more over the lifetime of these defence assets.
Defra’s final post-programme assessment shows that the original commitment of 300,000 homes was revised upwards by more than 4.5 per cent after extra funding was allocated across the period.
The programme’s original £2.3 billion budget was expanded to a total £2.6 billion to allow for additional work to be carried out. Alongside the current record £5.2 billion investment, from 2021-2027, the government’s long-term policy statement on flood and coastal erosion risk management is the most comprehensive in a decade with five ambitious policies and over 40 supporting actions to accelerate progress to better protect and prepare the country for future flooding and coastal erosion.
Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said: “Our programme of work has protected over 314,000 properties, defending people, communities, and businesses from flooding and coastal erosion. We know that there is still more to do, so we are doubling our investment with a record £5.2 billion over the next six years.”
1 Comment
While this is good news for all those who have been helped this does nothing to reassure those of us who were badly affected by last year’s flooding in the Sankey Bridges and Dallam areas. Can something be done urgently to help us please? We are living under the constant threat of our properties being devastated again. Unless you have experienced flood water wrecking your home and precious possessions you have no idea how far reaching the effects are!!