UK: Government Allocates More Money for Stockton Flood Defences

Stockton Council has welcomed news that the Government has made an allocation of more than £10 million to pay for flood defences at Port Clarence and Lustrum Beck.

Stockton Council and the Environment Agency submitted the bids for Flood Defence Grant in Aid funding to enable flood defence and alleviation work to be undertaken.

The Government has confirmed £9 million, previously announced, has now been allocated for a flood defence scheme at Port Clarence and Greatham which suffered the worse tidal surge in more than 150 years in December.

Meanwhile, £1.2 million has also been allocated for a flood defence scheme at Lustrum Beck where properties were among the worst affected during the Autumn 2012 floods.

£415,000 has already been secured from the North-East local levy to pay for a smaller scheme to reduce the risk of flooding at Lustrum Beck.

Stockton Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor David Rose, said: “There is a vital need to improve flood defences for Port Clarence and Lustrum Beck so this is excellent news and a welcome relief for many residents.

“December’s floods in Port Clarence were a reminder of the devastating impact flooding can have on our communities.

“We are determined to do all we can to help people affected by flooding and have worked tirelessly for many months to develop the bid for Flood Defence Grant in Aid Funding to tackle flood risk from Lustrum Beck. This funding combined with the £415,000 already secured from the North-East levy means there will be £1.6 million available to help protect properties from flooding.”

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Press Release, February 7, 2014