£42M upgraded flood defences completed in Kent

A £42M flood-defence scheme aimed at reducing flood risk in Tonbridge and Hildenborough in Kent has officially opened, the Environment Agency announced. The project expanded the Leigh flood storage area and adds new defences at Hildenborough. Environment Agency figures said the combined works will lower the risk of flooding for about 1,870 homes and 575 businesses along the River Medway and downstream communities. The Leigh flood storage area, originally completed in 1982, has been enlarged by roughly 23%. Engineers raised the maximum stored-water level at the control structure by 55cm, increasing capacity to about 7.4Mm³ of water, the Environment Agency said. Work at Leigh, carried out over three years while the storage area remained operational, included fitting new 12.5t steel gates, new lifting and electrical systems and improved access platforms for maintenance. An eel pass was also installed to help protect the ecologically important species. At Hildenborough, the scheme comprises a 98m embankment across the floodplain, a new pumping station on the Hawden Stream and a sheet-piled wall designed to prevent the River Medway backing up into the village. The measures are intended to protect 180 homes that were affected during the 2013 floods, as well as other properties that will also benefit from the extra capacity at Leigh. The Environment Agency said the Leigh structure has been used 75 times between 1981 and this summer to manage flood risks. The upgraded facilities are expected to continue reducing flood risk for the next 50 years. They were constructed by principal contractor VolkerStevin. A trained operator will monitor conditions around the clock and use the structure when properties are at risk. The scheme cost approximately £42M to design and construct of which the funding included £36.6M from Flood Defence Grant in Aid, with additional contributions from Kent County Council, the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and local levy funding. It’s been estimated the works will deliver more than £155M of benefits to downstream communities. The Environment Agency said the investment was necessary as part of a broader response to climate change, citing the increased frequency and intensity of storms and wetter winters. The Leigh storage area forms one element of flood-risk management for Tonbridge, alongside town walls and natural floodplains at nearby sports pitches. Environment Agency flood risk manager in Kent Simon Curd said: “This is a major investment in the safety and resilience of communities along the River Medway. The original Leigh flood storage area has protected Tonbridge and Hildenborough for more than 40 years, but climate change means we must be prepared for more severe storms and wetter winters. “By increasing the amount of floodwater the area can store by around 23 per cent and improving the reliability of its gates and operating systems, we have made sure this vital structure can continue reducing flood-risk for the next 50 years. “This was a highly complex engineering project, delivered while the flood storage area remained operational. I would like to thank our partners, contractors, landowners and local communities for helping us complete it successfully.” Kent County Council cabinet member for environment, coastal regeneration and public health Jamie Henderson said: “Flooding can have a devastating impact on people’s homes, businesses and livelihoods, which is why investments like this are so important. “The expanded Leigh flood storage area and new Hildenborough defences will provide greater protection for communities across the Medway catchment and help safeguard hundreds of homes and businesses for years to come. “I am proud that Kent County Council has been able to support this project alongside our partners. Together, we have delivered a scheme that will make a real difference to local residents and strengthen the area’s resilience to flooding long into the future.” Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council leader Matt Boughton said: “Our borough is shaped by the beauty of the River Medway but over the years we’ve also seen the devastation to homes, businesses and communities caused by flooding. “I’m proud that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has been able to invest half a million pounds in this major improvement to our flood defences. He added: “We know it will result in greater protection and resilience for our residents, towns, villages and our local economy, defending our community from rising waters. “This is the culmination of a complex engineering project that has already brought significant benefits to the area, through work and training opportunities and is testament to what good partnership working can achieve. “For generations to come, this system will be helping to reduce the likelihood of severe flooding in Tonbridge, Hildenborough and other villages downstream.” Have your say or a new account to join the discussion.