March 2015 Protecting our community Protecting our economy Protecting our Canvey

Our ask

Through this bid we ask central government for £24.5m which will be used to address the What’s been done so far? Securing the future of the deficiency in the current drainage network and fund capital projects to dramatically improve the drainage infrastructure across Canvey Island. Working together, we have developed an This investment will feed into an already comprehensive programme of works which will be Integrated Urban Drainage (IUD) model to delivered over the next ten years. The first phase of the Thames Estury Plan establish a common understanding on the 2100, prepared by the Environment Agency, Some projects which will be covered by this funding include: condition and ownership of the drainage states that the maintenance and improvement infrastructure across the Island. The output of of Canvey’s system of large sea wall defences • Property level protection from surface water flooding for 40,000 people and 15,000 homes. this model will be used to develop a series of is well justified given the risks to the local engineering projects which will significantly community and economy. improve the drainage infrastructure and provide • Improving the drainage infrastructure at recognised pinch points identified by the Integrated property level protection across Canvey Island. Urban Drainage Study (IUD) to take excess rainwater from the centre of the island to the The plan recommends that the defences are The first phase of this project, jointly funded by pumps located around the island. further improved to pace with the ever and the Environment Agency, will more present impacts of a changing climate. be completed by early summer 2015. Over the period of the plan (2010-2169), • Increasing the storm water storage area on the island providing areas where excess rainwater the Environment Agency calculates that the can be stored. potential economic benefits of implementing • We produce a regular multi-agency their preferred option of flood prevention • Increasing the storage capacity of and re-profile the surrounding area to provide newsletter which is used to inform, across the Thames Estuary is in the region of additional storm water storage capacity. update and educate residents and local £200 billion when compared to doing nothing. businesses about the work currently being undertaken on the island. • Utilising new technology innovations to enable a much more reactive approach to deal with The majority of benefits of flood risk heavy rainfall, such as advance weather warning systems (Rain Gain), automatic weed- management in the Thames Estuary are screens and remotely controlled weirs. • Anglian Water and Highways economic, namely the avoidance of damage to are working closely through practical, property, infrastructure, transport and business • Increasing community resilience through enhanced education, awareness and local volunteer enhanced maintenance work to repair, investment. replace and improve the complex drainage programmes. infrastructure on the island, as well as Within the Government’s Autumn Statement mapping all of the drainage assets and the last year, it was announced that government The approach we have taken to partnership working on the island is unique, and we believe this Surface Water Alleviation Scheme (SWAS) “has published its 6-year programme of model allows more efficient and collaborative approaches to addressing the problems facing local along the seafront. investment in flood defences, allocating residents. the £2.3 billion capital funding provided at We commit to continuing this vital work and with additional government funding we can do so • The Environment Agency has reviewed Spending Round 2013. It has also allocated an much more to help to protect our community, protect our economy and protect our Canvey Island. their maintenance, resulting in additional additional £60m to the Lower Thames Scheme Multi agency funding bid to central government activities, including: extensive seawall beyond 2021, subject to business case and local To find out more about our plans to better protect repairs, de-silting, channel re-profiling and partnership contributions.” Canvey Island, or to contact us, please visit stand-by works. www.canveyflood.co.uk Protecting our commu our Canvey CANVEYnity • Protecting ouISLANDr economy • Protecting

Introduction Strategy Protecting our Community Protecting our Economy

Canvey Island is the largest town in the Borough Since the July 2014 floods, Anglian Water, Castle Canvey Island is home to a tight knit community The loss and devastation caused by flooding is of , comprising around 40% of the Point Borough Council, Essex Council with a diverse demographic make-. tremendous and multifaceted, ranging from the borough area, with a population of 40,000 people. and the Environment Agency have formed a social distress and disruption caused, as well as Canvey is home to both the largest town centre multi-agency partnership and have been working A range of organisations have helped to deliver the monetary losses experienced by private and area of employment (Charfleets Industrial collaboratively on a strategy to better protect community infrastructure improvements over individuals, businesses and the government. With over 6,100 jobs already based on the island, Estate) in Castle Point Borough and is a key Canvey against future flood events; providing long recent years; helping to increase the service This includes financial costs borne by the national plans submitted to government through the contributor to the local economy. term security for residents and businesses across offering of the island and address some of the This new infrastructure includes a new healthcare economy in the form of school closures and work South East LEPs Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) the island. societal challenges faced by some pockets of the centre, two new secondary schools, a new vocational days lost; repairs to infrastructure, including utilities propose to create over 1,100 new jobs. Further Canvey is separated from the mainland of south community. college, works to improve the quality of the and roads; inability of businesses and consumers development opportunities have also created the Essex by a network of creeks and the reclaimed To date, the group has seen great success and over public realm within the employment area, and the to operate during floods; and public sector potential for the construction of over 1,500 new island sits around 1m below sea level at high tide, £1.7m has been spent delivering a comprehensive construction of the second phase of Roscommon emergency response costs. homes across Canvey. making it incredibly vulnerable to flooding from maintenance, repair and cleaning scheme across Way, providing access to new employment land to both sea and surface water. the Island’s drainage network. Along side this, a the south of Charfleets Industrial Estate. The cost of a future flooding incident on the island The Essex Economic Growth Strategy highlights website and two community newsletters have been would be in the region of £274m per year in lost the numerous industrial opportunities located The island has a rich history of agriculture and created to raise awareness of the ongoing work. We want to see more economic output, and up to £2.1bn in damage to along the Thames riverside in and on shipping and was one of the country’s fastest We have now developed a long-term strategy community support schemes residential property. Canvey Island; recognising the strong growth growing seaside resorts for over forty years until which, with support from the government, will take root on Canvey and potential in the area. the flood of 1953 devastated the island, deliver increased protection and security for the we appreciate that we killing 58 islanders and leading to the temporary people of Canvey. have a role in making sure It is vital that all relevant agencies and central evacuation of the 13,000 residents. the necessary support government work together to ensure this infrastructure is in place to growth potential is not inhibited by the Modern sea defences now protect Canvey, with a allow this to happen. significant risks associated with future high, 3.2km concrete sea wall spanning the island’s flooding on the island. coastline and series of high powered pumps built into the local drainage system.

However, on 20th July 2014 one of the most extreme rainfall events ever seen in Essex hit the island and overwhelmed the drainage network, causing widespread flooding to over 1,000 homes and businesses and severe disruption to the local infrastructure.

These floods served as a harsh reminder of the islands vulnerability to flooding and highlighted CANVEY ISLAND the ever-increasing need for further measures to protect the islands environment, community and economy.