New £2m grant to protect Shoreham Port from flooding

Environment Secretary George Eustice has announced £2 million in cash for a planned scheme to protect “critical infrastructure” in Brighton, Hove, and Shoreham.

The project will bolster flood defences along the coast to prevent floodwater damaging Shoreham Port, Shoreham Power Station and sewage treatment works in Southwick.

The grant will also fund efforts to protect Brighton Marina from future flooding.

“The devastating impacts of last winter’s flooding were an important reminder of the need to continue to invest and accelerate action to reduce the impact of flooding on our communities,” said Mr Eustice.

“Our investment and ambitious policies will better protect homes, schools, hospitals and businesses.

“But we also recognise that we cannot prevent flooding entirely.”

The project will protect Shoreham Port from erosion and flooding

The project is led by Brighton and Hove City Council in partnership with the Shoreham Port Authority, Adur District Council, and the Environment Agency. City councillors approved the scheme six years ago.

The project will upgrade lock gates in Shoreham Port to reduce the risk of flooding and “prevent the loss of the operations of the port”.

This would also protect Shoreham Power Station in the port, which serves 300,000 homes.

Sea walls will also be raised between the lock gates and the eastern limit of sewage treatment works in Southwick to prevent flooding at the plant.

The height of the inner harbour wall in Brighton Marina will also be raised to keep property safe in the long term.

All in all, the city council predicts the entire scheme will protect 105 commercial properties which otherwise would be lost to erosion within 20 years.

It claims 19 residential properties will also be protected from erosion and flooding under the scheme.

Though the Government claims the flood defence project is “shovel-ready”, no start date has been given for the scheme.

The plans will also protect Brighton Marina

The city council voted last month to begin the process of awarding a contract for the “detailed design” of the project.

But a Government spokesman told The Argus construction “should start next year”.

The new Government funding comes as part of a £170 million cash injection to kick-start flood defences across England.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the new grants would protect hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses.

“Last winter I saw for myself the misery and upheaval that flooding can bring to lives and livelihoods and I said we would do more to help people,” he said.

“This long-term plan will help push back the flood waters and protect hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses and livelihoods.

“Our record investment will also stimulate economic growth across the UK as we build back better.”

The funding comes on top of a long-term £5.2 billion package set out by the Government to build 2,000 new flood defences by 2027.