Appleby Town Centre is set to benefit from £1.5 million to better protect it from the scourge of flooding highlighting the Conservative Government’s commitment to supporting smaller communities against the threats of climate change.
Local MP, Dr Neil Hudson, welcomed the Conservative Government’s decision to support his constituents with monies from the newly created Frequently flooded Allowance. The £100 million nation-wide scheme will help target communities that have been flooded more than once in the last ten years.
These communities are often smaller and can face barriers to access funding due to the relative complexity and cost of building flood defences compared to the size of the community.
Appleby has been named as one of the first 53 projects sharing £26 million in total to better protect more than 2,300 households and businesses across the nation. Unfortunately, Appleby has been subjected to repeated flooding -most notably during Storm Desmond in December 2015 - and while the community has made moves to better protect themselves with hard work from organisations such as Appleby Emergency Response Group, tragically the town centre is still at risk of flooding during extreme weather events. These events, which often cause the River Eden to burst its banks, are occurring more frequently due to climate change so this proactive step by the Government is much welcomed by Dr Hudson.
The Cumbrian MP has repeatedly voiced the concerns of his communities that are at risk of flooding in Parliament; in his role on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee; and in discussions with Ministers.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, said:
“This is a hugely significant sum of money that will go a long way to better protecting Appleby from flooding. I’ve seen first-hand the devastation rising water can cause in the town and speaking to residents I hope this will give them peace of mind when heavy rain starts to fall.
“Tragically smaller communities across Cumbria, and the country, are periodically submerged when extreme weather events strike. Therefore, I absolutely welcome the Government’s decision to tailor funding to better support for smaller communities requiring complex flood schemes.
“I understand the impact of flooding goes far beyond the material damage. Losing your home, business or possessions can leave residents feeling hopeless or anxious about future floods so I will continue my push to boost rural mental health service provision, so support remains even after the blue lights leave.”
This announcement will be part of the Government’s current programme of investment in flood and coastal defences. The Government announced in 2020 that the amount invested in flood and coastal erosion schemes would be doubled in England to £5.2 billion between 2021 and 2027, providing around 2,000 flood defences. This year, £700 million is being invested from that pot and will better protect 35,000 properties, bringing the cumulative total for the first two years of the six-year programme to more than 65,000.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow added:
“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.
“I am determined that we do whatever we can to prevent flooding that affects so many towns and villages across the country.
“This much-needed funding will go a long way to support those whose homes and livelihoods are repeatedly threatened by flooding and forms a key part of our record £5.2 billion investment by 2027 to protect communities in England better.”
