Mouchel welcomes flood protection plans but voices funding concerns

Consulting and business services group Mouchel has welcomed the Environment Agency's new corporate strategy to improve flood protection in England and Wales, but expressed concerns over funding.


Consulting and business services group Mouchel has welcomed the Environment Agency’s new corporate strategy to improve flood protection in England and Wales, but expressed concerns over funding.

The Environment Agency’s five-year strategy, unveiled at its annual conference on Tuesday 10th November, includes plans to increase flood protection to 200,000 homes and businesses by 2015 in light of stark warnings that climate change and population growth will place more properties at risk of coastal erosion and flooding from rivers and the sea.

The current round of government funding for flood schemes ends in 2011 and it is unclear where future financial support will come from.

Jonathan Wright, Director of Flooding and Environmental Management at Mouchel, said: “Any measures taken to reduce flood risk and improve protection are to be encouraged. These plans need to be backed up with appropriate government funding, which currently runs no further than 2011. The government needs to ensure that there will be sufficient funding in place to enable the Environment Agency to roll out these crucial projects.”

Mouchel has provided flood management services to the Environment Agency for numerous projects, including the UK’s first PFI flood defence scheme at Pevensey Bay, and has expert staff on secondment within the agency undertaking flooding-related work.

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