Innovative technologies involving flood alert apps and “sponge” road surfaces will be used across England as part of a new project aiming to combat flooding.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced a £150 million package to be shared between 25 local schemes aiming to improve waterway defences and coastal resilience.
This is part of the UK Government’s new Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme to develop and test new approaches to tackling coastal erosion and mainland flooding.
A wide range of approaches tailored to local communities will be trialled, including the restoration of sub-tidal habitats like kelp beds, oyster reefs and sea grass near South Tyneside, and an app to warn residents about the threat of groundwater in Buckinghamshire.
Artificial intelligence and new sensor technology to detect rising water levels will be used in Northumberland, and in Cornwall sand dunes will be protected and saltmarshes restored.
In Slough, the Chinese “sponge city” concept will be deployed, which is the use of permeable roads to soak up surface water, along with natural vegetation to improve drainage.
UK environment minister Rebecca Pow said: “These 25 projects will not only help to inform future approaches to prepare communities for flooding and coastal change across the country, but also help reinforce the UK’s position as a world leader in innovation and new technology as we build back better.”
Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the Environment Agency, said the project is “extremely exciting” and could be replicated on a larger scale around the world if successful.
Here is the full list of the local areas involved in 25 specialised innovative projects aimed at improving flood defences and coastal resilience:
– North East, Yorkshire and the Humber:
Grimsby, Immingham and Doncaster
Areas nearby the River Swale, Ure, Nidd and Ouse catchments
Northumberland
South Tyneside coastline
Stockton-on-Tees
County Durham
Gateshead
– North West:
Cumbria
Rochdale
Wyre
– Midlands:
Northamptonshire
Lincolnshire
Staffordshire
– East:
Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea
Suffolk and Norfolk
Central Bedfordshire
– London and South East:
Chilterns and Berkshire Downs
Slough
Eastbourne
The London boroughs of Barnet, Harrow and Brent
Richmond-upon-Thames
– South West:
Cornwall
Devon
City of Bristol
