11,205 homes in Devon and Cornwall are better protected from the effects of climate change compared with 2015, the Environment Agency has announced today (23rd March).

Exceeding its target in delivering the government's £2.6 billion investment in flood and coastal defence schemes since 2015, the Environment Agency and partners have completed more than 700 projects nationally to better protect more than 300,000 homes, nearly 600,000 acres of agricultural land, thousands of businesses and major pieces of infrastructure.

One of the schemes in Devon and Cornwall delivered by the Environment Agency was the Helston Flood Alleviation Scheme.

About the scheme:

The Helston flood alleviation scheme was completed in December 2020. The £5.4 million scheme provides better protection from flooding for 121 homes in Helston.

The scheme was constructed in two phases. Phase one, at Loe Bar, was accelerated following Storm damage in January 2018. Damage to the outfall tunnel at Loe Bar meant many properties in Helston were at risk of flooding as rising water in Loe Pool prevented the River Cober from discharging to the sea.

This phase came with a number of challenges caused by working in a dramatic but exposed environment with construction taking place between tides and evacuation plans in place to keep workers safe.

Construction of Phase 2 of the scheme started only a month before the first national Covid-19 lockdown in February 2020.

With additional safety protocols in place, work continued throughout 2020, except for a 4-week period in April when the material could not be sourced. Construction was completed just before this winter's first storm.

The design and construction of this part of the scheme provided various carbon and cost efficiencies, changing the design to reduce material and transport costs saving money and reducing carbon emission.

The delivery of the nation's new defences, which has continued through lockdown with Covid-secure working arrangements, will not only help to save the economy more than £28 billion in avoided damages over the lifetime of defence assets but also aims to provide reassurance for communities and encourage economic growth.

The successful delivery of the programme comes ahead of the start of the record £5.2 billion investment in 2,000 new flood and coastal defences between 2021 and 2027.

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