WIREDGOV

60/10 The second round of a £5.5 million grant scheme to help households better protect their homes against flooding was announced today by Environment Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies.

The Property Level Flood Protection Grant Scheme is part of the Government’s response to Sir Michael Pitt’s review of the 2007 floods. In this the second phase, £2.6 million will be allocated to 34 schemes in areas at high risk of flooding, enabling 532 households to benefit from practical flood protection solutions such as air bricks covers, storm porches, door guards and flood boards.

Mr Irranca-Davies said:

“In the future we must be prepared for more extreme weather on all levels. There are 490,000 properties at significant risk of (river/coastal) flooding in England. Since the floods of 2007 we have been taking action on a range of fronts to protect against the heart breaking damage and destruction that can be caused by floods. Property level measures like flood boards aren’t appropriate for every situation, but as was shown in Appleby at the end of last year, they can be a very effective way for householders to protect their homes.”

In the first round of funding, £3 million was made available to 25 local authorities to protect up to 593 properties across England.

Robert Runcie, Environment Agency Director of Flood and Coastal Risk Management, said:

"We welcome the second round of funding for Defra's property level flood protection grant scheme. We urge all individuals and businesses at risk of flooding to make their property more resistant by fitting products such as flood gates, in addition to signing up to our free flood warning service”

Local authorities are responsible for delivering the scheme locally and are able to tailor schemes to suit the needs of their communities.

Notes to editors

1, Local authorities awarded round two grants are Huntingdonshire District Council, North Warwickshire Borough Council, Malvern Hills District Council, Newark & Sherwood District Council, Herefordshire Council, Shropshire Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, East Riding Of Yorkshire, Middlesborough Borough Council, Northumberland, Eden District Council, Allerdale Borough Council. Carlisle County Council, Warrington Borough Council, Cheshire East Council, West Devon Borough Council, North Devon Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council, Teignbridge District Council, Bournemouth Borough Council, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Fareham Borough Council, Waverley Borough Council, South Lakeside District Council, London Borough of Sutton, Kirklees Metropolitan Council and Leeds City Council.

2. The Government’s response to the Pitt review can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/floods07.htm

3. Information on the draft Flood and Water Management Bill can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/floodsandwaterbill.htm.

4. The Environment Agency has overall strategic responsibility for flood management and have recently opened a centre to test and Kitemark flood products, which will help stimulate the market and improve consumer choice.

Contacts:

Defra Press Office
Phone: 020 7238 6600
NDS.DEFRA@coi.gsi.gov.uk

Tom Briggs
Phone: 020 7238 6140
tom.briggs@defra.gsi.gov.uk