London City Policy Unit: Thames Estuary 2100
What needs to be done to manage flood risk and adapt to rising sea levels in London City, one of 23 policy units in Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100).
Applies to England
Map centred on the London City policy unit boundary. This includes areas on the north bank of the River Thames, from Chelsea to St Katharine Docks, including the Westminster area. Surrounding areas outside the boundary are shown, with the map extending 1.5 kilometres (km) to the east and west and 2km to the north and south. The flood risk layer shows that, in much of the policy unit, there is a 0.1% or higher chance of flooding each year without the existing flood defences. The risk is reduced by defences.
Description
The London City Policy Unit starts at Battersea Bridge and extends along the northern bank of the River Thames to St Katharine Docks and Wapping. It includes much of Westminster and a narrow strip along the north bank of the Thames between Charing Cross and London Bridge.
The councils responsible for this area are:
- City of London Corporation
- City of Westminster
- London Borough of Tower Hamlets
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Use the Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100) map to view all the policy units.
Local areas at risk and types of flooding
Although the policy unit covers a relatively small area, it contains a high number of vulnerable sites and important public areas in London.
These include historic buildings, scheduled ancient monuments and World Heritage Sites:
- Houses of Parliament
- Palace of Westminster
- Tower of London
- Queenhithe Dock
The public spaces and views along the riverfront are some of the most popular and well known in London and across the country. This highlights the importance of carefully considering the design and appearance of flood defences in this area.
There are also hospitals, educational establishments, emergency services and underground stations.
The types of flooding that could affect this policy unit include:
- tidal flooding from the Thames upriver of the Thames Barrier – when the tide overtops flood defences
- surface water flooding - when heavy rainfall is unable to drain away
- surface water flooding from urban drainage sources
- groundwater flooding - when underground water stores (aquifers) overflow
- a combination of these
Managing flood risk in this area
The Thames Barrier protects the area by controlling tidal water levels. There are also secondary tidal defences along the Thames frontage, some of which are part of buildings.
Thames Tideway Tunnel works are in progress at Blackfriars Bridge, which will create a new public space with improved pedestrian links.
Local plans in this area set out the need for development to connect the riverside areas with the city. These developments will need to consider flood defences if they are within the flood risk area.
There are 22 combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to reduce flooding from urban drainage.
Fluvial flooding from the Thames is unlikely to be a problem for this policy unit because fluvial flood levels would not overtop the defences.
The Environment Agency also uses flood alerts and flood warnings to inform people about potential flooding so they can take appropriate action.
Sign up to receive flood warnings in your area.
Flood risk management policies for this area
Thames Estuary 2100 sets flood risk management policies for each area of the estuary. The policies range from P3 to P5 and outline how we should manage that area’s tidal defences.
In this area, a P5 policy applies to the tidal flood defences.
This means the Environment Agency and our partners need to take further action to reduce the risk of flooding, including upgrading the defences to cope with future sea level rise.
Find out more about flood risk management policies.
Local requirements: who needs to do what
Tidal flood defence owners
By 2050, tidal flood defence owners in this policy unit should:
- work with the council, developers and local infrastructure providers to adapt defences and achieve multiple benefits through proposed development
- work with the Environment Agency to raise defences where required
For further information read outcome 2: improving fixed flood defences.
Local councils
By 2030, councils should work with communities to plan how their riverside will look in future.
The City of London Corporation is the only council to have a riverside strategy in place for this area. The City of London riverside strategy sets out how future flood defence upgrades can be incorporated along with wider improvements to the riverside. City of London Corporation has developed this riverside strategy using the principles of the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan’s riverside strategy approach.
Find out more about the riverside strategy approach.
Thames Landscape Strategy Team
The Thames Landscape Strategy team based in Richmond Council will work with communities, councils, the Environment Agency and other partners to update the Thames Strategy - Kew to Chelsea. This landscape vision for the river corridor will include a riverside strategy approach to tidal flood defence upgrades upstream of Chelsea Bridge.
Thames Estuary Partnership
The Thames Estuary Partnership will work with communities, councils, the Environment Agency and other partners to:
- scope the need and potential creation of a Thames Strategy Central between Chelsea Bridge and Tower Bridge
- update the Thames Strategy East downstream of Tower Bridge
These landscape visions for the river corridor will include a riverside strategy approach to tidal flood defence upgrades.