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CANVEY ISLAND 6-POINT PLAN Protecting Our Community Protecting Our Economy Protecting Our Canvey

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CANVEY ISLAND 6-POINT PLAN Protecting Our Community Protecting Our Economy Protecting Our Canvey NovemberMarch 2015 2015 CANVEY ISLAND 6-POINT PLAN Protecting our community Protecting our economy Protecting our Canvey An update report from the Multi-Agency Partnership More than The cost to the local economy of a future flooding incident Around Over 5,000 gullies and would be in the region of £300,000 1,8 2,500 manholes £274m per year. has been spent on surveyed. the jetting and CCTV defects found in the surveying of 3.6 kilometres drainage system. spent improving the drainage of the drainage network. Over £2m infrastructure since 2013. Essex County Council is the Lead Local Flood solutions. The model has now been completed and Introduction About the Partners Authority covering Canvey Island. They coordinate options will be carefully explored over the coming local flood risk management activities and months. flood response. Essex County Council Highways In October 2014, the Canvey Island Multi- The multi-agency group is formed from the four Department is also the authority responsible for Another key piece of work undertaken by the group Agency Partnership (MAP) was formed with organisations that have the responsibility for the ownership and management of the highways has been the mapping of privately owned elements the aim of raising awareness of flood risk, and drainage and flood risk management on Canvey drainage network. As well as these responsibilities, of the drainage system. This work has, for the first increasing the resilience of Canvey Island’s Island. Each of these partners look after a different Essex County Council hold powers to regulate time, identified and mapped over 120 privately communities and businesses to flooding. In part of the system, but all agree that the only ordinary watercourses through consents and owned drains and watercourses across Canvey. March 2015, the group published ‘Protecting way to have a real impact is to work together in enforcement. Camera surveys will shortly begin to determine the our Canvey’ – a manifesto of the group’s collaboration. state of these drainage pipes and the multi-agency plans, which set out the strategic aims and In addition to the organisations named above, a group will then work with private landowners to ambitions of Anglian Water, Castle Point Anglian Water is the water and water recycling broad range of stakeholders continue to play a vital understand what action needs to be taken. Borough Council, the Environment Agency and company serving over six million customers across part in the strategic flood management activities Essex County Council (Inc. Essex Highways). the East of England. On Canvey Island, Anglian across Canvey Island. The Essex Fire and Rescue Essex County Council has introduced a new In May, this document was presented to the Water is the organisation responsible for the foul Service provide emergency planning on behalf of Property Level Protection Grant, to increase the Secretary of State for Environment, The Rt. sewerage network. Anglian Water also own and the County Council and offer advice on community resilience of homes that have previously been Hon. Elizabeth Truss MP, which received a very maintain a number of surface water drainage resilience. The Fire Service Volunteers have also flooded. The grant is a good start, but additional positive response. systems on the Island. carried out a number of community led ditch funding will be vital for addressing the issues faced clearing projects. by more than 1,000 homes flooded in 2014. Since then, work has continued on the Island Castle Point Borough Council owns the lake and a and all partner agencies have continued number of other drainage features on the Island, This work goes a long way in addressing to work closely together on a range of key and is the organisation that is responsible for local recommendations made in the Section 19 flood strategic projects. This work has allowed the planning. Castle Point Borough Council is also What has the group done to report – endorsed by the government’s Chief development of a 6-point plan for Canvey that, the authority who manages social housing on the Scientist, Professor Sir Mark Walport. if approved by government, would see over Island, making them a riparian owner of some date? £24m invested into the Island’s infrastructure private drainage, and they offer advice and support and community resilience. on flood recovery. Over the course of the year, the Canvey MAP has invested over £2m surveying, cleaning and repairing This document explores what work has already The Environment Agency (EA) is the organisation the local drainage infrastructure. A number of back- been undertaken on the Island, and what with overall responsibility for strategic flood risk up generators have also been installed at some of projects are planned for the future. It also management in England. On the Island the EA are the Island’s key pumping stations. explains how the partners would invest the responsible for the management of flooding from additional funding from central government designated main river watercourses and the sea, as The group have also supported work on an to address the most pressing issues, if it is well as holding regulatory powers of enforcement innovative urban drainage study, which has created awarded. over tidal and main river flood defences. a sophisticated computer model of the Island’s network. This model will allow the team to identify pinch points and run scenarios to test possible Our 6-Point Plan for Canvey Island Canvey Lake 2 For over a year the MAP has been working on a long-term plan to help Canvey Island’s communities and The Section 19 Flood Investigation Report, published by businesses, by increasing their resilience to the risks of surface water flooding. Below is an outline of the Essex LLFA in September 2014, recommended a thorough group’s 6-point plan, setting out the proposed activities on the Island, and their associated costs. investigation into the capacity available in the Canvey Lake. The lake, strategically located in the centre of the Island, forms part of the Island’s surface water drainage system and 4 so ensuring it is kept in a good condition and able to receive Action surface water during storm events is vital. 1 Action Canvey Resilient Property level flood In a further report by the government’s Chief Scientist, Sir Communities Programme protection for circa. Mark Walport, it was also mentioned that capacity of this 15k homes (circa. 40k Cost £2,000,000 lake needed to be addressed and maintained. residents) Impact Medium The MAP has completed the first phase of modeling the Cost £500,000 1 impacts of dredging the lake, to remove large amounts Property level of silt which have built up over time. The group has also Impact High flood protection suggested re-profiling the banks of the lake, to provide 5 additional storage capacity in high intensity rainfall events. 3 Action Both of the detailed investigations into flooding Action This increased storage capacity could allow surface water Development of new on the Island recommended urgent action, to Increased drainage to drain away from the network more effectively, whilst innovative technologies protect properties (both homes and businesses) increasing the amount of water that could be held. infrastructure capacity Cost £2,000,000 from the impacts of surface water flooding. Cost £16,000,000 It has been identified that any work on the lake would Impact Medium The MAP is seeking to establish a fund that will need to be followed by a regular planned maintenance Impact High assist homeowners by granting access to a range programme. This ongoing work would keep outfalls clear of products and information, that will help to and above water level, ensure a channel is maintained 2 mitigate the impact of any future surface water through the centre of the lake, and monitor for any other Action flooding events. blockages or issues that could impact the lake’s ability to act Dredge, re-profile and as additional surface water storage. maintain Canvey Lake Following detailed investigations, the group 6 envisages this scheme benefiting around 15,000 It is anticipated that the initial work to dredge and re-profile Cost £2,000,000 Action Total high risk properties - or around 40,000 residents the lake would require £1.5m. A further £500,000 would Impact High Investment in ‘Green investment - on the Island. It is estimated that these measures then be required for ongoing planned maintenance. This Infrastructure’ needed: will require an additional £500,000 of allocated scheme would be run and managed by Canvey Island Town £24.5m funding to support the PLP package, which was Council. Cost £2,000,000 introduced in September of this year. This scheme Impact Medium will continue to be run and managed by Essex There is a great opportunity to reinvigorate the lake and the County Council in their role as Lead Local Flood surrounding parkland to create a high quality greenspace Authority (LLFA). for walking, cycling, angling and nature conservation. these parts of the network are owned by home and Alongside these programmes, a community Increasing capacity 3 land owners, the groups acknowledges that many communications plan would be developed including owners may not know of their responsibilities. Camera leaflets and ‘drop-in’ meetings for residents. of the drainage infrastructure surveys will shortly begin to determine the state of these drainage pipes and the MAP will then work with The MAP has also engaged the National Flood private landowners to understand what action needs Forum (NFF) and the Essex Fire and Rescue One system currently being explored is the Detailed work has been underway for the last two to be taken. Service, who have both mobilized their local ‘Rain Gain’ advanced weather warning system, years, building an Integrated Urban Drainage (IUD) volunteer networks to raise the awareness of flood which is currently in use in Holland.
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