Isle Of Wight Receives £7m For Coastal Defence Projects

Tuesday, 15 February 2022 17:27

By Oliver Dyer @olidyer

Four coastal defence projects on the Isle of Wight have received £7 million of Government funding.

Projects at Embankment Road (Bembridge), Yaverland, Shanklin and Ventnor are to benefit from the cash.

It is estimated the schemes could cost up to £54.7 million. The Environment Agency says partnership funding opportunities are available to supplement the government funding.

The projects are designed to reduce risk of flooding and coastal erosion to more than 3,700 homes and business on the Island along with infrastructure and protected habitats.

The current coastal defences are ageing at these locations and the current work is investigating how these could be replaced.

Floods Minister, Rebecca Pow, said:

"This vital £7 million in funding will bring the Isle of Wight coastal defence scheme one step closer to beginning construction, and once completed will see more than 3,700 island homes and businesses better protected from flooding and coastal erosion.

"This funding is just one part of our record £5.2 billion investment to better protect hundreds of thousands of properties across England."

Although the Ventnor and Shanklin defences are owned and maintained by the Isle of Wight Council, the Environment Agency is working on the council’s behalf to develop a business case for future investment.

Different parts of the Yaverland defences are owned and maintained by either the Environment Agency or the Isle of Wight Council, but both organisations will work together to assess how best to refurbish or replace parts of the coastal defences which were first built by Victorian engineers over 100 years ago.

The defences at Embankment Road are privately owned and maintained, but as a competent authority under Habitat Regulations the Environment Agency is looking to protect the designated habitat of Brading Marshes.

Councillor Jonathan Bacon, Cabinet member responsible for the environment, said:

"Flooding and coastal erosion can have a devastating and lasting impact on the lives of those affected, and this is why it remains a high priority for us and why we have agreed a significant investment in the programme. We are determined to support people who are most at risk as much as we can.

"These long-term commitments in partnership with the Environment Agency and significant government funding will make homes, businesses and infrastructure more resilient to the accelerating impacts of the climate crisis.

"The views of the public are important to us as we continue to plan this important work – and we’ll continue to consult them."

The investment is designed to help coastal communities to be more resilient to the increasing risk of tidal flooding and coastal erosion, and help protect the designated habitat at Brading Marshes.

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Isle Of Wight Receives £7m For Coastal Defence Projects

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