Extra £700M Announced for Flood Defenses

The Environment Agency announced recently that the Government is planning to spend an extra £700 million on flood defenses across the country. 

The announcement comes on top of the £2.3 billion of planned spending up to 2021.

In total £150 million of capital spending will build flood defense schemes in areas affected by the December floods which will bring protection to more than 7,400 properties.

This will include:

• £115 million extra for Yorkshire with schemes in Leeds, York and the Calder Valley – to better protect 3,000 homes and 1,700 businesses and other properties. And the government will fund the completion of the Leeds scheme beyond 2021;
• £33 million extra in Cumbria for schemes in Kendal, Appleby, Flimby, Eamont Bridge, Wigton, Pooley Bridge, Rickerby Park and Braithwaite – to better protect 1,700 properties and key local infrastructure.

The government has also committed investing up to £25 million in flood defenses in Carlisle once the Environment Agency has concluded a review of its needs in the city. This brings the total capital commitment by 2021 in Yorkshire to £400 million, with at least £43 million being spent in Cumbria.

The £700 million extra support also includes: a £160 million boost for the maintenance budget, taking it to more than £1 billion in this parliament. This will help protect an extra 20,000 houses by keeping existing defenses operational; and money to fund recommendations from the on-going National Flood Resilience Review.