New defences protect 'flood village'

Floods Minister Huw Irranca Davies visited a village in Gloucestershire today to see how flood defences have been bolstered. Deerhurst, near Tewkesbury, was badly affected in summer 2007 when the River Severn burst its banks, flooding over half the homes in the village.

Now, the community is protected with newly-completed defences in the form of a two-kilometre earth embankment and protective gates surrounding the village; a scheme costing more than half-a-million pounds.

Mr Irranca-Davies said:

"Families here in Deerhurst know all too well the havoc that flooding can cause. We’ve doubled government spending over the last ten years and introduced an early warning system for flooding.

“The defences around this village are a great example of how swift action has been taken to protect communities from those dramatic scenes of flooding we saw in summer 2007."

Anthony Perry, Area Flood Risk Manager for the Environment Agency, said:

"Deerhurst Flood Alleviation Scheme has been a great success. It is a perfect example of how a small rural community can work in partnership with the Environment Agency and the local authority to find a practical, cost effective solution to the problems caused by flooding."

Work began on the Deerhurst flood defences in August 2009, lowering the chance of flooding in the village to just one per cent each year.

During his visit, Mr Irranca-Davies met victims of the 2007 floods, then went on to visit students taking part in a Foundation Degree in River and Coastal Engineering. During their course, students can gain experience with the Environment Agency.

19 March 2010