Yorks and Lincs flood schemes get £36 million, as EA says national funding must double by 2035

It says investment will need to almost double to £1 billion a year by 2035.

The EA’s funding recommendations, contained in its ‘ Long Term Investment Strategy For England’, published on Friday, are based on the latest climate change impact predictions which were also released last week.

The agency says that as climate change increases the risk of coastal erosion and flooding from rivers and the sea, the annual direct and indirect costs of flood damage to property in England could rise from the current £2.5 billion to £4 billion by 2035 – unless funding for defences is substantially increased.

As it is, one in six homes in England is already at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea, or surface water from overflowing drains, the Environment Agency says.

Even more worrying, perhaps, is the vulnerability of the country’s infrastructure – 55 per cent of water treatment works and pumping stations, 14 per cent of electricity infrastructure, 2,358 schools and 2,363 doctors' surgeries in England are situated in flood risk areas, along with some 4,000 kilometres of roads and 2,500 kilometres of railway.

Although the EA is clear that more than £20 billion of funding must be found over the next 25 years if the cost of flood damage is to be contained, it says it does not assume that future investment needs will necessarily be met by central government alone.

It has called for a public debate to identify other possible sources of funding, enabling local communities to contribute to reducing the risks in their own areas – something Sir Michael Pitt recommended in his independent review of the summer 2007 floods.

"Our 25 year flood and coastal risk ‘Long Term Investment Strategy’ for England presents some important choices for Government, local authorities, developers and others to consider," said the EA’s chairman, Lord Chris Smith.

He added: “There are important decisions for us all to take about how to manage these risks to protect people, communities, businesses and the economy in future.”

While looking at future strategy, the EA is continuing with the flood defence work started after the summer 2007 floods – announcing at the end of last week that £36 million is to be invested in four flood defence schemes in the East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

A £11.9 million scheme at Swinefleet, near Goole, will improve flood protection from the Humber and the Ouse for more than 9,400 homes and 1,200 commercial properties, as well as Keadby Power Station, three sewage treatment works, two railway lines and three stations, the A614 and A616 and the M18 motorway.

The other East Yorkshire site, at Brough, between Goole and Hull, will cost £5.8 million and is expected to improve flood protection from the Humber for more than 430 homes and 25 commercial properties, as well as the British Aerospace (BAe) site there.

Over in North Lincolnshire, a £7.7 million scheme at Stallingborough, between Grimsby and Immingham, aims to improve flood protection for 11,500 domestic and commercial properties, including a power station, a chemical works and Immingham Docks.

While a two-stage project at Halton Marshes, East Halton, will cost £10.6 million and is designed to improve protection for the existing industry based around the port.

“The Environment Agency has completed 90 flood defence schemes since summer 2007, providing increased protection for more than 58,000 properties,” said Smith. “ Whilst continued investment in managing these risks is crucial, we cannot always prevent flooding so communities need to take responsibility for being prepared – for example by signing up to the Environment Agency’s free flood warning service."

Although the EA estimates that more than five million people currently live and work in buildings at risk of flooding, just 430,000 have so far signed up to the service, which provides vital early warnings of flood by SMS, telephone or email.