Environment Agency progressing plans to protect Worcestershire village from flooding
£1.8 million scheme will protect homes and business in historical village of Severn Stoke.
February 2020
- Design to be completed by end of this year and construction will begin next year
- The work will include environmental enhancements for the area
The Environment Agency is progressing plans to deliver a permanent flood protection scheme for the historical Worcestershire village of Severn Stoke.
The £1.8 million flood mitigation embankment scheme will provide protection from the devastating impact of flooding to 18 homes and businesses including the Grade II listed 14th Century St Deny’s Church, the 500-year-old Rose and Crown pub and the village hall.
The scheme, which is being developed in partnership with Worcester County Council and Malvern Hills District Council, will also protect the nearby A38, preventing disruption to the busy trunk road.
The community of Severn Stoke has suffered from significant flooding from the River Severn, most notably in 2007, 2012 and February 2020.
The design of the scheme, which includes the construction of an embankment around the southern side of the village and raising a section of the village’s Ham Lane, will be completed at the end of this year with construction commencing during 2022. The Environment Agency is currently completing the required planning obligations for the work.
The work will also include environmental enhancements including a tree replacement scheme increasing both the number and diversity of tree species, incorporation of a pollinator corridor along the ‘dry side’ of the embankment and placing bird and bat boxes throughout the scheme area.
Environment Agency Manager for Worcester, David Throup said:
The Environment Agency is grateful for the support we have received from Worcestershire County Council and Malvern Hills District Council. This is enabling us to deliver this much needed scheme for Severn Stoke.
Flooding has a devastating impact which is why protecting people and communities is our top priority.
Councillor Tony Miller, Cabinet Member for the Environment, added:
We’re really pleased to be able to help support the delivery of this scheme, to a local community in Worcestershire, that has been severely affected by flooding in recent years.
We have been monitoring the scheme since it was first proposed and it is great news that the preparations ahead of work starting on the scheme are going well. I look forward to seeing the progress as the scheme develops, and the benefits the scheme will have on the village of Severn Stoke once it is completed.
The Environment Agency provides a flood warning service for Severn Stoke. Please contact the 24-hour Floodline service on 0345 988 1188 for any ongoing flood related queries or advice. Sign up for flood warnings here https://www.gov.uk/sign-up-for-flood-warnings.
The best way to protect yourself from flooding is to know what to do in advance – download and save a simple Prepare, Act, Survive plan so you’ll know what to do when there’s a flood warning in your area.
Across the country, the Environment Agency has led projects to deliver flood schemes that see 314,000 homes are now better protected since 2015. Yet the Environment Agency is delivering more: earlier this year the Government announced a record £5.2 billion investment in flood and coastal defences to build around 2,000 new flood and coastal defences and better protect 336,000 properties by 2027.
Notes to editors
Make sure you’re prepared for flooding this year by following these top tips:
- Prepare a bag that includes medical and insurance documents
-
Check the latest flood situation online - https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings
-
Know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water
-
Check your insurance to make sure you are covered for flood damage. If you rent your home, it is your responsibility to have insurance for your belongings.
- If you are flooded, call 999 if in immediate danger and follow advice from emergency services.