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Environment Agency Launches £1.4bn 2026/27 Flood Defence Plan

Officials say the package could avert more than £10 billion in damage.

Overview

  • More than 600 projects will be funded in 2026/27, with £830 million for new and upgraded schemes and £260 million to repair and maintain defences damaged by Storms Goretti and Chandra.
  • Regional allocations include £65 million for 94 schemes in Yorkshire and the Humber, £147 million across the North West, and £20 million for 47 schemes in the North East.
  • Named projects include £59 million for the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier in Somerset, around £8 million for the Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne coastal scheme, and £15.2 million for Preston and South Ribble to protect about 5,000 homes.
  • The programme combines engineered defences with nature-based measures, supported by a £300 million decade-long commitment to natural flood management such as tree planting, river restoration and wetlands.
  • Over the next decade, a £7.9 billion capital programme is expected to benefit about 840,000 properties across England within a wider commitment of at least £10.5 billion between 2024 and 2036.