Environment Agency promises to increase flood protection for homes and businesses
On 10 November 2009 the Environment Agency published its new corporate strategy – Creating a better place 2010-2015. The strategy confirms plans to increase flood protection for 200,000 properties, both homes and businesses, in England and Wales by 2015. It sets out the aims of the Environment Agency for the next five years and explains how it will seek to work with others to tackle the environmental challenges we currently face.
This move comes in response to the Environment Agency’s warnings that climate change and population growth are resulting in more properties facing an increased risk of coastal erosion and flooding from rivers and from the sea. In particular, a predicted 10% increase in wave heights and wind speeds by 2115 will increase the threat from coastal surges. The number of properties in England and Wales which are at significant risk of flooding could increase from 570,000 in 2009 to more than 900,000 by 2035 at current levels of flood defence investment.
The Environment Agency is already hard at work on flood defence schemes across England and Wales having completed 102 flood defence schemes since 2007 which protect an additional 63,000 homes. Construction started in 2009 on a £50 million flood defence project to protect 16,000 properties in Nottingham and on a £29 million scheme in Weston-Super-Mare to protect 4,500 homes and businesses from coastal flooding.
The Environment Agency is already planning to manage a predicted one-metre rise in sea levels. The Thames Barrier and its associated schemes, which protect 1.25 million people across London, will need to be upgraded or replaced by 2070 to cope with the effects of climate change.
The new strategy emphasises five key areas:
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Act to reduce climate change and its consequences;
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Protect and improve water, land and air;
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Work with people and communities to create better places;
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Work with businesses and other organisations to use resources wisely; and
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Be the best we can.
The new strategy comes into effect from April 2010. Regional contributions and the Corporate Plan for Wales are currently being developed and will be published in January 2010.
This article was first published in the Property Law Journal on 30 November 2009.
