Latest news with #flooddefences
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
As climate change bites, UK commits £8 billion to flood defence in ‘largest programme in history'
Britain's Labour government on Monday announced plans to invest almost £8 billion (US$11 billion) on flood defences over the next 10 years, citing growing risks posed by climate change. The funding forms part of an infrastructure strategy this week due to outline the government's long-term plan to invest billions of pounds on delivering major infrastructure projects. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government said new funds will 'protect hundreds of thousands of homes, small businesses, and vital infrastructure from the growing threat of flooding'. It will go towards building flood barriers and nature-based solutions such as wetland restoration. The Climate Change Committee, an expert group that advises the government, warned in April that Britain is not properly prepared for severe floods and unprecedented heatwaves. 'This government is taking urgent action with the largest flooding programme in our country's history,' environment minister Steve Reed said in a statement on Monday.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Flood defences to receive £7.9bn investment over next decade
The Government has announced plans to invest what it says is a record £7.9 billion in flood defences over the next 10 years. The Environment Department (Defra) said the money will be spent on rolling out high-performance flood barriers as well as nature-based solutions such as wetland restoration. Climate change is increasing the risk and frequency of flooding in the UK, with the Environment Agency saying one in four properties in England will be in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water by mid-century. It comes ahead of the Government's expected unveiling of its infrastructure strategy – a long-term plan to invest in and deliver major infrastructure over the next 10 years. The aim of the flooding programme is to protect hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses and vital infrastructure as the flood risk intensifies, save public services money and support economic growth. Defra said every £1 spent on flood defences is expected to prevent around £8 in economic damage. The major funding pledge will bolster the Government's mission of accelerating economic growth, by reducing the time and costs businesses face when recovering from floods and empowering them to invest in local areas. Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: 'Protecting citizens is the first duty of any Government. 'Under the Plan for Change, this Government is taking urgent action with the largest flooding programme in our country's history. 'We will leave no stone unturned to protect our citizens.' Philip Duffy, chief executive at the Environment Agency, said: 'As our changing climate continues to bring more extreme weather to the nation, it's never been more vital to invest in new flood defences and repair our existing assets. 'This long-term investment will be welcome news for businesses and homeowners, who have too often faced the destructive nature of flooding. 'Our priority will continue to be working with the Government and local authorities to ensure as many properties are protected as possible.' The nearly £8 billion investment follows Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing departmental budgets for the next three years in her spending review last week, which included an overall real terms squeeze on the environment spend. The Government confirmed that £4.2 billion will be spent on the flooding programme up until 2028/29. Defra said this money will be focused on both capital and resources such as building new defences and repairing and maintaining existing ones. On the other hand, the £7.9 billion 10-year settlement is solely capital spending, which means the total spent on flood resilience will be higher, subject to future spending reviews. Responding to the announcement, James Wallace, chief executive of River Action, said: 'We need to invest in climate-proofing our nation but not at the cost of the natural world that sustains us. 'If we're serious about protecting communities, the answer lies in funding for natural flood management not building homes in floodplains and pouring concrete. 'Instead we need to rewiggle rivers, restore wetlands, reintroduce beavers, nature's master engineers, and apply upstream thinking to slow the flow.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Flood defences to receive £7.9bn investment over next decade
The Government has announced plans to invest what it says is a record £7.9 billion in flood defences over the next 10 years. The Environment Department (Defra) said the money will be spent on rolling out high-performance flood barriers as well as nature-based solutions such as wetland restoration. Climate change is increasing the risk and frequency of flooding in the UK, with the Environment Agency saying one in four properties in England will be in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water by mid-century. It comes ahead of the Government's expected unveiling of its infrastructure strategy – a long-term plan to invest in and deliver major infrastructure over the next 10 years. The aim of the flooding programme is to protect hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses and vital infrastructure as the flood risk intensifies, save public services money and support economic growth. Defra said every £1 spent on flood defences is expected to prevent around £8 in economic damage. The major funding pledge will bolster the Government's mission of accelerating economic growth, by reducing the time and costs businesses face when recovering from floods and empowering them to invest in local areas. Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: 'Protecting citizens is the first duty of any Government. 'Under the Plan for Change, this Government is taking urgent action with the largest flooding programme in our country's history. 'We will leave no stone unturned to protect our citizens.' Philip Duffy, chief executive at the Environment Agency, said: 'As our changing climate continues to bring more extreme weather to the nation, it's never been more vital to invest in new flood defences and repair our existing assets. 'This long-term investment will be welcome news for businesses and homeowners, who have too often faced the destructive nature of flooding. 'Our priority will continue to be working with the Government and local authorities to ensure as many properties are protected as possible.' The nearly £8 billion investment follows Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing departmental budgets for the next three years in her spending review last week, which included an overall real terms squeeze on the environment spend. The Government confirmed that £4.2 billion will be spent on the flooding programme up until 2028/29. Defra said this money will be focused on both capital and resources such as building new defences and repairing and maintaining existing ones. On the other hand, the £7.9 billion 10-year settlement is solely capital spending, which means the total spent on flood resilience will be higher, subject to future spending reviews. Responding to the announcement, James Wallace, chief executive of River Action, said: 'We need to invest in climate-proofing our nation but not at the cost of the natural world that sustains us. 'If we're serious about protecting communities, the answer lies in funding for natural flood management not building homes in floodplains and pouring concrete. 'Instead we need to rewiggle rivers, restore wetlands, reintroduce beavers, nature's master engineers, and apply upstream thinking to slow the flow.'
Daily Mail
14-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Rachel Reeves to announce £8BILLION over ten years to fix crumbling flood defences
is set to announce nearly £8 billion for flood defences in a ten-year infrastructure pledge. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses will see better protections over the next decade, ministers have said. It will be part of £725 billion in capital spending on the country's infrastructure, about half of which is new promised money. The Chancellor will unveil the plan this week alongside Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner in a bid to offer certainty for businesses. It will cover transport, housing and public services. About half of the £725 billion was allocated in last week's Spending Review, and the new part is a 'commitment' for the following five years – funded through borrowing. The flooding money will be used to build new defences and repair existing ones, as well as planting more trees to absorb water. It will be targeted at regions badly impacted by floods, including Yorkshire and the Midlands. Environment Secretary Steve Reed said Labour 'inherited crumbling flood defences', adding: 'This Government is taking urgent action with the largest flooding programme in our country's history.' Ms Reeves said a lack of investment in infrastructure has been ' holding back communities and stunting economic growth', adding: 'We are investing in Britain's future, brick by brick, road by road and track by track.' The Centre for Policy Studies said public spending had rocketed since pre-Covid levels to the equivalent of £24,095 per adult. Health spending will reach £4,056 per adult by 2028-29 – a 22 per cent real-terms rise since before the pandemic. A spokesman described the levels of state spending as 'not sustainable'.
The Guardian
09-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Country diary: Shy gull chicks get nowt
The harbour at Aberaeron has been the scene of substantial change over the last couple of years as the flood defences are upgraded to reduce the very real risk of the town being inundated again. Long stretches of quayside have been fenced off, leaving me to peer through the mesh of the barriers at the scene below. Pwll Cam, the sheltered inner harbour, would usually be bustling with small boats at this time of year. Today it is empty and almost dry, with house martins skimming the remaining pool of water while wagtails glean along the edge of the exposed mud. On the edge of the quayside, where in normal times folk dangle their legs and eat chips, large iron rings provide an anchor for mooring ropes. In this newly protected habitat behind the fence, herring gulls have built a nest inside one of the rings, where two eggs are being incubated by an adult bird. Apart from the iron ring, the nest is mostly plant debris from the harbour, a cosy-looking fringe of moss and a few rotted strands of rope scavenged from the tide line. I watch as the other parent returns and they swap duties, with the new arrival tidying the nest before settling over the eggs. Some 16 miles to the north, a second family of herring gulls is also taking advantage of our built environment. At Aberystwyth railway station, between the beer garden and the ticket office, an area of granite ballast lies fenced off. Tucked against the red brick wall of a disused platform, a nest has been established over several seasons – but when I visit today it is empty. Fearing their predation I look more closely and realise that three chicks have already hatched and left the dubious protection of the scrape to hide – with perfect camouflage – in the shelter of a rail, while an adult bird stands guard nearby. The second parent arrives with much social noise, and the chicks immediately trot over – with impressive speed – and begin to beg. Perhaps predictably, the chick that is already the largest manages to get the biggest meal. There is probably a moral in there somewhere. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
