Community engagement on Tenbury Wells flood risk management scheme

• Facilitated telephone calls will also be held on 26 January and 28 January to provide the same information as the virtual engagement room, for those without access to the website materials.

• Construction of the scheme is due to start in March 2022 and aims to reduce the risk of flood to Tenbury Wells, benefitting approximately 120 residential and 145 commercial properties.

Residents and business owners in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire are reminded they have until the end of the month to visit a virtual engagement room to find out about a proposed flood risk management scheme for their town.

As well as the virtual engagement room, two facilitated telephone calls will be held on 26 and 28 January at 11am and 6pm respectively, for those without internet access to find out about the scheme and ask any questions.

To join these calls telephone: UK Local UK-Wide: +44 (0) 33 0551 0202 or UK Toll Free: 0808 109 0701 for both dates. Conference PINs: 26 January 1557694; 28 January 5740455.

The flood defence plan to protect homes and businesses in Tenbury Wells has been put forward by the Environment Agency. It will see a mix of new flood walls and embankments to reduce flood risk to 120 residential and 145 commercial properties, after the government announced funding for the scheme in July 2020.

The virtual engagement room has been created due to current coronavirus restrictions, so the local community can be provided with all of the information that a face-to-face meeting would offer.

Information boards are also displayed in a number of locations around the town, to allow those without internet access the opportunity to get involved.

Dave Edwards, Flood Risk Management Team Leader for the Environment Agency said:

We are urging the local community to visit our virtual engagement room to find out about the proposed Tenbury Wells flood risk management scheme. Or, for those who are unable to access the online site, we have set-up 2 facilitated telephone calls which will provide exactly the same information, and give them the chance to find out about the scheme.

Due to the current coronavirus restrictions we have not been allowed to hold face-to-face events, but we hope that by visiting the virtual event or through the facilitated telephone calls, local residents and business owners will receive a similar experience.

Construction of the scheme is due to start in March 2022. Ground investigation and site survey work is due to start in early 2021.

The virtual engagement room can be accessed by clicking on the following link: https://virtualengage.arup.com/Tenbury-FRMS.

Notes to editors

• The 2 facilitated telephone calls will be held on 26 January at 11am and 28 January at 6pm. The calls will be for approximately 1 hour. Telephone: UK Local UK-Wide: +44 (0) 33 0551 0202 or UK Toll Free: 0808 109 0701 for both dates. Conference PINs: 26 January 1557694; 28 January 5740455.

• Tenbury Wells lies within the flood plain of the River Teme and Kyre Brook. Tenbury has suffered from extensive flooding to large parts of the town on a number of occasions, most recently in November 2019 and in February 2020.

• After the February 2020 floods, the government committed an additional £4.9 million towards a scheme for Tenbury. This funding has allowed the Environment Agency to progress plans.

• To check if your property, business, or place of work is within the new warning area, visit https://gov.uk/check-flood-risk or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188.

• Since 2015, we have been investing £2.6bn to better protect the country from flooding and coastal erosion. We are on course to have better protected 300,000 homes by March 2021.

• Earlier this year the government announced a record £5.2 billion investment in flood and coastal defences – double the previous investment – to build around 2,000 new flood and coastal defences and better protect 336,000 properties.

• In July, the government announced an additional £170 million to accelerate the construction of flood defence projects in 2020 and 2021, where they would drive growth and benefit local economies, including £4.9 million for Tenbury.

• The Environment Agency has also published its Flood and Coast Erosion Risk Management Strategy, a blueprint setting out how it will work with communities to deliver the government’s plan.