Work set to start on Canvey Island flood defence scheme

The Environment Agency is about to begin work on the Canvey Island Southern Shoreline revetment replacement in the county of Essex, England.

Work on the £75 million project that will keep homes and businesses in Canvey Island protected from flooding will begin early next year, according to the EA.

Contractors working on behalf of the Environment Agency will begin setting up site from January with work beginning on the tidal defences from late March. The project is expected to take until summer 2025 to complete.

Much of Canvey Island lies below the daily high-water level in the Thames Estuary. The tidal defences play a critical role in reducing the risk of flooding to people, property and infrastructure on the island.

A 3 kilometre stretch of the island’s existing tidal flood defence revetment will be renewed on its southern shoreline between Thorney Bay and the Island Yacht Club. Sections of the current revetment over the project area date back to the 1930s and need replacing.

Once completed the island’s tidal defences will continue to provide protection for 6,097 properties on the island for another 50 years. The works will also take into account the effects of rising sea levels due to climate change.

The works are part of the Thames Estuary Asset Management (TEAM) 2100 Programme. This is a 10 year capital investment programme to refurbish and improve existing tidal flood defences. As the single largest flood risk management programme in the UK, the TEAM 2100 Programme is refurbishing, repairing and replacing defences in the Thames Estuary where required.