Isle of Wight to Receive Over £2.3 Million for New Flood Defences

The Isle of Wight is set to benefit from more than £2.3 million for new and upgraded flood defences, part of the government’s £830 million national investment in flood schemes for 2026/27, the Environment Agency announced on Tuesday (17 March).

This funding is part of a record £10.5 billion flood resilience programme running from 2024 to 2036, the largest in England’s history.

Across the country, over 600 schemes will receive funding next year, protecting around 29,000 homes and businesses.

On the Isle of Wight, three projects will be supported:

• One Property Flood Resilience (PFR) scheme, improving protections for homes vulnerable to repeated flooding

• Two capital maintenance projects, ensuring essential flood infrastructure remains safe, effective, and ready for severe weather

More than £100,000 of the funding will go directly to property-level flood resilience in Isle of Wight West, helping communities better cope with intense rainfall and storm events in recent years.

Isle of Wight West MP Richard Quigley welcomed the announcement:

“Time and time again our community has been let down by inadequate flooding provision, with real consequences for families and small businesses.

"£2.3 million for the Island is not a small amount, and I’m really pleased the government has listened to the concerns I’ve raised.

"This funding will make a meaningful difference to communities across the Isle of Wight.”

Floods Minister Emma Hardy added:

“Flooding can turn lives upside down in a matter of hours, destroying homes, shutting down businesses, and leaving communities facing months of recovery.

"This investment will help protect tens of thousands of homes and businesses across the country, strengthen defences, and make communities safer.

"It also supports jobs and unlocks new homes and businesses in areas made safer from flooding.”

The funding aims to ensure the Island’s flood defences are resilient and ready to face increasingly severe weather, giving households and businesses greater protection for the future.