Frequently Flooded Allowance: communities in England to get flood defence funding in £100m scheme named

The first communities in England to receive flood defence funding have been named, by the government.

Areas with 10 or more properties that have been flooded at least twice in the last decade are eligible for the fund - which totals £100 million.

The government said the first areas in line for its Frequently Flooded Allowance will together receive more than £26 million to protect against the “devastating impacts” of flooding.

Much of the money will go to communities in Worcestershire, Cumbria and the Calder Valley, West Yorkshire, which have been repeatedly flooded during various exceptional storms since 2015.

Hebden Bridge in the Calder Valley is particularly vulnerable to surface water flooding because of the steep hills around the town.

The first communities include 2,300 households and businesses across the UK, which will be part of 53 flood defence projects to receive better protection, the government said.

Recent analysis from the University of Bristol found that if greenhouse gases continue warming the Earth’s climate to about 3.3C, above pre-industrial levels, damage from flooding could rise by more than a fifth across the UK.

South-east England, South Wales, north-west England and central Scotland face the greatest risk, while densely populated cities such as London, Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh are looking at possible damage increases of more than 25%.

How will the funding be used?

More than half of the 53 projects to receive funding are to protect against flooding from rivers and more than a third is for protection against surface water flooding, the government confirmed.

There is also one coastal defence project designed to protect the only road into Hayling Island in Hampshire from being flooded or eroded.

Funding will also be used for the installation of flood doors and barriers for properties, which the government said will help homes where traditional defence schemes are not viable.

More projects are expected to be announced before 2027 when the flood capital investment programme ends.

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “We know only too well the devastating impact that flooding can have on communities and businesses, as we face more extreme weather brought about by climate change. I am determined that we do whatever we can to prevent flooding that affects so many towns and villages across the country.

“This much-needed funding will go a long way to support those whose homes and livelihoods are repeatedly threatened by flooding and forms a key part of our record £5.2 billion investment by 2027 to protect communities in England better.”

Caroline Douglass, executive director for flood and coastal risk management at the Environment Agency, said “protecting people and communities is our top priority as we look to tackle this challenge” and the funding will “help better protect homes and businesses at risk from repeated flood incidents across the country.”

She added: “The Environment Agency’s strong track record in delivering flood defence schemes means we have better protected 374,000 homes since 2015.”

Which projects will be given funding?

Listed are the 53 projects across the UK to receive funding as part of the government’s £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance to better protect against flooding:

• Alconbury Flood Alleviation Scheme Stage 2
• Brighton & Hove City Council Surface Water Management Feasibility Study
• Bingley and Shipley Property Flood Resilience Study
• Bledington Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Burrow Beck Conveyance Improvements
• Carlisle Appraisal Package Appleby Town Centre
• Chard Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Cocker Beck, Lowdham, Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Dufton Close Feasibility Study
• Earby Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 3, Earby Beck
• Eardisland Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Erringden Hillside
• Falmouth Integrated Urban Drainage Management
• First Avenue Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Flood Risk Reduction Schemes 2 - Copley Village Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Flood Risk Reduction Schemes 2 - Cottonstones near Lumb, Calderdale
• Flood Risk Reduction Schemes 2 - Railes Close between Luddenden and Midgley
• Greyfriars Community Flood Risk Management Scheme
• Hebden Bridge Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Ilminster Flood Alleviation Study
• Intake, Flood Risk Management Scheme
• Irwell Vale to Chatterton
• Langstone (Havant) Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Scheme
• Larkspur Close Integrated Urban Drainage Scheme
• Lavendon Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Leintwardine and Walford Property Flood Resilience
• Lindale Road Grange over Sands
• Lipson Vale Phase 1, Trefusis Park (South West Water Integrated Urban Drainage Modelling)
• Little Bollington River Bollin Property Flood Resilience
• Market Weighton Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Natural Flood Management Upstream of Cirencester
• Northumbria Integrated Drainage Partnership - Redcar (Yearby, Kirkleatham & Low Farm Drive, and West Dyke Road) Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Northumbria Integrated Drainage Partnership - Saltburn (Princes Road & Marske Road) Flood Alleviation Scheme
• North Road, Holme Village Flood Alleviation
• Pallion Flood Alleviation Scheme
• River Teme, Tenbury Wells Community Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Rolleston Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme, Staffordshire
• Ruislip Park Wood and Pinn Meadows
• Severn Stoke Flood Alleviation Scheme, River Severn
• Skipton Road
• Small Communities Property Flood Resilience Scoping
• South Cave Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Stony Stratford Flood Alleviation Study
• Stubbing Holme Road
• Tenbury Wells Integrated Flood Solution
• Toronto Close Flood Alleviation Scheme
• Undefended Properties in the Ironbridge Gorge - Individual Property Protection
• Upper River Piddle Catchment Flood Risk Management Scheme
• Walsden Flood Alleviation Scheme
• West End Road, St Helens
• Whitley Brook Flood Reduction Scheme
• Williton Flood Alleviation Study