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The government has committed £2.65bn to build new flood defences and maintain/repair existing ones to protect more than 66,000 properties.
Under the plans, 52,000 properties will benefit from new flood defences by March 2026. A further 14,500 properties will be safeguarded through much-needed maintenance and repair works on existing flood defences.
The record investment is part of the Plan for Change, which sets out the ambitious milestones the government aims to achieve by the end of this Parliament.
The government said the investment will also protect farmland which has been badly hit by recent storms, in turn helping to safeguard farm businesses and farmers’ profits.
“The storms this winter have devastated lives and livelihoods.
“The role of any Government is to protect its citizens.
“Under our Plan for Change, we are investing a record £2.65bn to build and maintenance flood defences to protect lives, homes and businesses from the dangers of flooding.”
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed.
According to new risk data published by the Environment Agency shortly before Christmas, around 6.3 million properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding from one or a combination of sources: rivers, the sea and surface water.
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