Commenting on the announcement by Defra that 93 regional flood defence schemes have been given the green light for construction, ICE Flooding Expert, David Balmforth, said:
“It is encouraging to see that the flood defence schemes to benefit from the additional funding allocated in the autumn have been defined. However we are still concerned that this increase in funding does not return us to the levels of investment in place prior to the 2010 cuts. As climate change increases the frequency and severity of floods, more investment will be needed just to maintain current levels of protection.
“Many communities remain exposed to flood risk and support must be available to them to help them build resilience. This includes understanding which communities face a high risk of flooding and communicating this more effectively, building the physical resilience of communities by making property and infrastructure more resistant, and where new development is proposed for flood risk areas ensuring flood resilience is at the heart of the design – not an afterthought.”