£5m pledged to protect village from flooding
LOWDHAM IN FOR A SHARE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING
A FAMILY whose home was devastated by Storm Dennis earlier this year have backed a £5m investment to better protect their village from flooding - saying it’s “got to be great news for the residents”.
The Government has pledged billions to tackle the issue across the country and, locally, the £5m will be spent on Lowdham, by storing a large volume of water upstream in reservoirs.
In February, villager Simon Chambers, 58, and his family, of Old Tannery Drive, were badly hit by Storm Dennis as water poured into their five-bedroom home.
Heavy rain burst the banks of Cocker Beck, leaving more than 50 houses flooded by murky water.
Retired Mr Chambers, who used to work in IT, said: “The Government has allocated what sounds like significant funds to alleviate all the pain and anguish caused by flooding in Lowdham over the last 13 to 14 years. That’s got to be great news for the residents.
“In 2019 we had two flood scares: one was in June, we had a very wet summer last year and, in June, the beck that runs near our house overflowed on to the road and it was not far off coming down and flooding our estate again.
“Thankfully it receded just in time so we got away with it.
“We had another in November because we’d had non-stop rain since about the start of October. We were told we were likely to get flooded. Thankfully we managed to escape it but only just. Then, of course, in February this year we didn’t escape.”
Under the latest plans, £5.2bn will be spent to create around 2,000 new flood and coastal defences to better protect 336,000 properties in England by 2027.
The proposals include £200m for projects such as sustainable drainage systems and nature-based solutions.
These will support 25 areas at risk of flooding. Construction on some of the projects will begin this year or next.
Up to £10m will be spent to protect more than 1,000 businesses on the other side of the A52, in Derby.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Last winter I saw for myself the misery and upheaval that flooding can bring to lives and livelihoods and I said we would do more to help people.
“This long-term plan will help push back the flood waters and protect hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses and livelihoods.
“Our record investment will also stimulate economic growth across the UK as we build back better.”
Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “The devastating impacts of last winter’s flooding were an important reminder of the need to continue to invest and accelerate action to reduce the impact of flooding on our communities.
“Our record investment and ambitious policies will better protect homes, schools, hospitals and businesses but we also recognise that we cannot prevent flooding entirely, which is why we will ensure that communities at high risk are more resilient.
“Working closely with the Environment Agency, local authorities, business and the third sector we will create a better protected and prepared nation.”
Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the Environment Agency, added: “For every £1 spent improving protection from flooding and coastal erosion, we avoid around £5 of property damages.
“The long-term commitments announced today will make homes, businesses and infrastructure more resilient to the accelerating impacts of the climate crisis.
“Many communities are all too familiar with flooding, and now the risk is increasing for others, too. The Environment Agency is champing at the bit to deliver on the Government’s investment with better, and greener, flood schemes. Detail about how we will do this is set out in our strategy.”