Environment Agency outlines flood investment plans

Environment Agency announces plans to spend over £57 million to reduce the risk of flood and coastal erosion in the North West

The Environment Agency today (Thursday 11 February 2010) announced plans to spend over 57GBP million to reduce the risk of flood and coastal erosion in the North West for the year to March 2011.

The investment includes funds to:
• build river and coastal defence schemes
• deliver on-going recovery works in Cumbria following the floods in November 2009
• increase public awareness of the Environment Agency’s Floodline. Call: 0845 988 1188.

Today’s investment forms part of the Environment Agency’s strategy to reduce the risk of flooding to more than 15,000 additional properties in the North West by 2015.

Some of the key flood and coastal erosion defence projects planned to benefit from funding in the 2010/2011 financial year include:

Cumbria: 1.1 GBP million to progress on-going recovery works across the county following the floods in November 2009 (including the flood defence strengthening works in the High Hill area of Keswick due to be completed by June 10.)
Thacka Beck: 3 GBP million for the Thacka Beck flood alleviation scheme in Penrith that will see the creation of a flood storage basin and the replacing and repairing of culverts to protect approximately 260 properties.
Altmouth pumping station: 3.9 GBP million to complete the on-going refurbishment works at Altmouth pumping station. The scheme will protect more than 9,000 properties when completed.
Warrington: 800,000 GBP has been allocated to continue developing flood risk management schemes in light of the current public consultation that is running until 08 March 2010.
Wigan: 5 GBP million to construct an upstream flood storage basin and bring improved flood protection to around 600 properties. The Wigan Flood Alleviation Scheme is due to be completed in March 2011.

The Environment Agency has welcomed increasing Government spending on flood and coastal defences, but has warned that increased funding must continue in order to reduce risk and protect against rising sea levels and the more intense rainstorms that will come with climate change. The Government’s environmental watchdog has estimated that investment in the building and maintenance of defences will need to increase to 1 GBP billion a year nationally by 2035 to maintain current levels of protection across England and Wales.

The Environment Agency already seeks financial contributions from those organisations such as developers and industries who directly benefit from flood defence schemes, and will look to increasing contributions from other sources to complement public investment from Government.

Key schemes completed during 2009/2010 include the final stages of a 40 GBP million scheme to protect 3,300 properties in Carlisle. The project, after emergency Environment Agency repairs to shore up the incomplete sections, protected 800 properties from flooding during last November’s Cumbria floods.

Jeff Lawrenson, Flood and Coastal Risk Programme Manager (North West), said: “We will invest 57 GBP million in the North West on protecting lives and property from flooding and coastal erosion in the year to March 2011.

“The 2007 floods cost homeowners, businesses, emergency services and others some 3.2 GBP billon. The high costs of flooding underline the importance of continued investment in reducing flood risk, particularly in face of the more frequent and heavy storms and rising sea levels that will come with climate change.

“It is essential that we continue to defend communities, businesses and the economy from the risk of flooding and coastal erosion. The Environment Agency has completed flood protection schemes in Carlisle, Lancaster and Stanah in the North West over the past two years, providing increased protection to over 8,000 properties.

“Whilst continued investment is crucial, flooding cannot always be prevented so be prepared – call the Environment Agency’s Floodline on: 0845 988 1188 to find out if your home or business is at risk of flooding.”