A £6 million investment in flood defences around Rye have been announced by the government. More than half the money will go to the Rother Tidal Wall East project on the outskirts of town but there is also money for ten other schemes from Pett to Jurys Gap and the Lydd Ranges.
Floods minister Emma Hardy explained the local funding is part of UK wide investment. “Through our Plan for Change, this government will deliver a decade of national renewal and economic growth. As part of that we are investing a record £2.65 billion to build and repair over 1,000 flood defences across the country.” The money is for the construction of new flood schemes and the repair and maintenance of existing ones.
£3.185 million will be spent on the tidal wall, although the funding schedule does not make clear whether this is part of the £32 million already allocated to the three year project, which is expected to be completed this year.
Schemes to receive funding also include Pett Level, Tillingham and Brede sluices, the tidal basin at Jurys Gap, and Broomhill Sands beach. The second largest amount is allocated to the Union Pumping Station at East Guldeford, which receives £650,000.
Hastings and Rye MP Helena Dollimore said she was delighted by the £6 million of local investment. “This additional funding will protect lives and livelihoods in our area and reduce the major destruction that flooding can have on our coastal communities. As part of my work on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee in Parliament, I have been pushing for better flood protection for Hastings and Rye.”
Meanwhile on Thursday, April 17 the Environment Agency officially marked the completion work of work on Strand Quay in Rye. The multi-million pound project has seen the installation of floating pontoons, repairs to the harbour wall, and landscaping. Rye News will have a full report next week.
Image Credits: Bob1960evens https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Union_Channel_pumping_station_ES043.jpg https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Union_Channel_pumping_station_ES043.jpg.