- 350 damaged flood risk management assets already repaired following winter flood and storm damage restoring protection to 115,000 properties
- Over 150,000 flood risk management assets inspected in the wake of severe storms and flooding
- Over 100 Environment Agency flood risk management specialist inspectors, aided by around 200 members of the armed forces took six weeks to complete the inspections
Many of the flood risk assets that were damaged in the extreme weather since December are being repaired by the Environment Agency – with repairs to over 350 defences already completed, restoring protection to over 115,000 homes. A further 650 assets have repairs planned or underway, to restore protection to a further 180,000 properties.
Armed forces and Environment Agency inspect over 150,000 flood schemes
Environment Agency flood asset inspectors and over 200 members of the armed forces have this month completed an assessment of over 150,000 flood risk management assets across the country. Following the extraordinary combination of severe weather and flooding since early December 2013, the Environment Agency called in assistance from military personnel to help in visually inspecting and recording the condition of England’s flood assets.
Getting on with the repairs
Dr Paul Leinster, Environment Agency Chief Executive, said:
Many of the flood risk management assets damaged in the extreme weather since December have already been repaired, restoring protection, and peace of mind, to many communities across the country. But there is still much more to do, and thanks to the completed inspections we now have a full picture of the condition of all the flood risk management assets across the country. We have prioritised the most urgent repairs.
Flooding Minister, Dan Rogerson, said:
Our flood defences took a battering over the winter but we are getting on with the job of repairing them. We want to see our flood defences back up to full working conditions which is why we have provided the Environment Agency with an additional £270 million to fix and maintain them over the next two years.
Minister for the Armed Forces, Mark Francois, said:
Military personnel have played a vital role in flood relief efforts alongside counterparts from local authorities, emergency services and other Government departments. We are proud to be able to make a contribution and will remain on hand to provide assistance where necessary. Priority repairs have been completed in Weymouth, where sea defences were washed away by stormy seas during January and February, at Greatham Creek in Teeside, where flood waters ripped a fifty metre breach in the sea defence embankment, and at beaches right along the Lincolnshire coast, dune systems are being repaired to restore protection to over 20,000 properties.
In Kent, the Denge frontage near Camber was severely affected by the storms. Throughout the winter, Environment Agency staff carried out emergency works to shore up the defences and reduce the risk of flooding to thousands of homes across Romney Marsh. In total more than 40,000 tonnes of shingle was returned along this stretch of the coastline.
Further along the Kent coastline sea defences at Hythe Ranges were breached. The Environment Agency has worked closely with the Ministry of Defence and contractors to stabilise the beach and repair the damage. This work has reduced the risk of flooding to 68 mobile homes, 21 residential properties and the A259.
