Two Cotswolds communities blighted by frequent flooding are set to benefit from new government funding aimed at tackling the impacts of climate change. The Frequently Flooded Allowance will provide £144,000 for a study in Bledington and £40,000 for a natural flood management scoping study in Cirencester.
The funding targets areas where ten or more properties have flooded at least twice in the past decade. These smaller communities often struggle to access traditional flood defence funding due to the complexity and cost of building defences relative to community size.
In Bledington, Gloucestershire County Council and the Environment Agency will use the £144,000 to assess options for alleviating flooding from Westcote Brook. The study will evaluate feasibility, outline design, effectiveness, and cost of potential solutions.
Cirencester's £40,000 allocation will fund a scoping study to identify natural flood management interventions upstream. These techniques include increasing water infiltration, slowing water flow, and storing water to reduce flood risk.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: 'We know only too well the devastating impact that flooding can have on communities and businesses, as we face more extreme weather brought about by climate change.' The funding forms part of the government's record £5.2 billion investment by 2027 to better protect communities in England.
Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management at the Environment Agency, added: 'Increased flooding is just one of the impacts of climate change we are seeing in the UK and around the world. Protecting people and communities is our top priority.'
