Tyne Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report December 2009 managing flood risk We are the Environment Agency. It’s our job to look after your environment and make it a better place – for you, and for future generations. Your environment is the air you breathe, the water you drink and the ground you walk on. Working with business, Government and society as a whole, we are making your environment cleaner and healthier. The Environment Agency. Out there, making your environment a better place. Published by: Environment Agency Rivers House, 21 Park Square South, Leeds, LS1 2QG Tel: 0870 8506506 Email: [email protected] www.environment-agency.gov.uk © Environment Agency All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency. ISBN: GENE1109BRCJ-E-P December 2009 Introduction I am pleased to introduce our summary of the Tyne Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP). This CFMP gives an overview of the flood risk in the Tyne catchment and sets out our preferred plan for sustainable flood risk management over the next 50 to 100 years. The Tyne CFMP is one of 77 CFMPs for England and the total catchment area. Approximately 4,950 homes Wales. Through the CFMPs, we have assessed inland and 2,000 commercial properties have a one per cent flood risk across all of England and Wales for the first chance of flooding each year. There is also a risk from time. The CFMP considers all types of inland flooding, high tides, with 900 homes and over 300 commercial from rivers, ground water, surface water and tidal properties along the estuary having a 0.5 per cent flooding, but not flooding directly from the sea chance of flooding each year. There are a number of (coastal flooding), which is covered by Shoreline engineered flood defence schemes in the catchment Management Plans (SMPs). Our coverage of surface that reduce the risk to some key communities. and ground water is however limited due to a lack We cannot reduce the risk of flooding by ourselves, of available information. we will therefore work closely with all our partners The role of CFMPs is to establish flood risk management to improve the co-ordination of flood risk activities policies which will deliver sustainable flood risk and agree the most effective way to manage flood management for the long term. This is essential if we risk in the future. We have worked with others are to make the right investment decisions for the including Local Authorities, Natural England, future and to help prepare ourselves effectively for Port of Tyne Authority, National Farmers Union the impact of climate change. We will use CFMPs to and Northumberland Wildlife Trust to develop help us target our limited resources where the risks this Catchment Flood Management Plan. are greatest. This is a summary of the main CFMP document, if you This CFMP identifies flood risk management policies to need to see the full document an electronic version assist all key decision makers in the catchment. It was can be obtained by emailing enquiries@environment- produced through a wide consultation and appraisal agency.gov.uk or alternatively paper copies can be process; however it is only the first step towards an viewed at any of our offices in the North East. integrated approach to flood risk management. As we all work together to achieve our objectives, we must monitor and listen to each others progress, discuss what has been achieved and consider where we may need to review parts of the CFMP. The River Tyne catchment is at risk of flooding from rivers, tidal flooding, surface water and sewers. The David Dangerfield, risk of flooding from rivers could affect four per cent of Director – Yorkshire and North East Environment Agency Tyne Catchment Flood Management Plan 1 Contents The purpose of a CFMP in managing flood risk 3 Catchment overview 4 Current and future flood risk 6 Future direction for flood risk management 10 Sub-areas 1 Hexham and Acomb 12 2 North Tyne and Rede 14 3 Main Tyne (including Warden and Haydon Bridge) 16 4 Don 18 5 Derwent and Rural Team 19 6 Lower Tyne 20 7 South Tyne 22 Map of the CFMP policies 23 2 Environment Agency Tyne Catchment Flood Management Plan The purpose of a CFMP in managing flood risk CFMPs help us to understand the • IDBs, water companies and CFMPs aim to promote more scale and extent of flooding now other utilities to help plan their sustainable approaches to managing and in the future, and set policies activities in the wider context of flood risk. The policies identified in for managing flood risk within the the catchment; the CFMP will be delivered through a catchment. CFMPs should be used combination of different approaches. • Transportation planners; to inform planning and decision Together with our partners, we making by key stakeholders such as: • Land owners, farmers and land will implement these approaches managers that manage and through a range of delivery plans, • The Environment Agency, who will operate land for agriculture, projects and actions. use the plan to guide decisions conservation and amenity on investment in further plans, The relationship between the CFMP, purposes; projects or actions; delivery plans, strategies, projects • The public and businesses to and actions is shown in figure 1. • Local authorities who can use enhance their understanding the plan to inform spatial of flood risk and how it will be planning activities and managed. emergency planning; Figure 1 The relationship between CFMPs, delivery plans, projects and actions Policy planning • CFMPs and Shoreline Management Plans. • Action plans define requirement for delivery plans, projects and actions. Policy delivery plans (see note) Projects and actions • Influence spatial planning to reduce risk • Make sure our spending delivers the best and restore floodplains. possible outcomes. • Prepare for and manage floods • Focus on risk based targets, for example (including local Flood Warning plans). numbers of households at risk. • Managing assets. • Water level management plans. • Land management and habitat creation. Note: Some plans may not be led by us – we may • Surface water management plans. identify the need and encourage their development. Environment Agency Tyne Catchment Flood Management Plan 3 Catchment overview The Tyne catchment lies in the north The Tyne catchment has a The Tyne catchment has a wealth east of England, covering an area population of just under one of environmental assets and of 2,300 square kilometres. Main million people. The major urban culturally recognised sites. Much rivers in the catchment include the areas of Newcastle and Gateshead, of the upland catchment lies within Allen, Derwent, North Tyne, Rede, one of the major economic and the North Pennine Area of South Tyne and the Tyne. There development centres within the Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). are three distinct parts of the Tyne north east lie within the eastern In addition there are 87 Sites of catchment. The headwaters drain area of the catchment. The River Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), remote moorland and flow through Tyne is still an important sea port as well as all or part of nine Special narrow, steep valleys. Within the with the Tyne Dock and Ferry Port Areas of Conservation (SAC) and upland area of the North Tyne, Rede located in the lower estuary near two Special Protection Areas and Derwent there are a number of the river mouth. Despite the rapid (SPA) within the catchment flood regionally important water supply growth in industry, much of the area management plan boundary. There reservoirs including Kielder and is still high quality agricultural land, is a rich cultural heritage, including Derwent Reservoirs. These which is also important to the local 530 Scheduled Ancient Monuments reservoirs can effect flood flows and economy. (SAM), part of the Hadrians Wall are also able to maintain river flows World Heritage Site, 14 Registered in the Tyne, Wear and Tees rivers via In the eastern part of the Parks and Gardens and two water transfer infrastructure. The catchment, where the main Registered Historic Battlefields. middle catchment contains fertile urban areas are located, there are agricultural plains with a string of a number of regionally important towns along the watercourses. The transport routes, including the East lowest parts of the catchment are Coast Mainline from London to Edin- covered by urban development burgh, main roads including the A1, including Newcastle and A19, A68 and A69, the Tyne Dock Gateshead. The River Tyne, which and part of Newcastle flows into the North Sea, is tidally International Airport. influenced from Wylam to the coast. 4 Environment Agency Tyne Catchment Flood Management Plan Map 1 Location and extent of the Tyne CFMP area Environment Agency Tyne Catchment Flood Management Plan 5 Current and future flood risk Overview of the current flood risk What is the risk? The risk caused by flooding can be The Tyne catchment has a long There is currently a low risk of broken down into two parts; The history of flooding. The greatest flooding to the rural parts of the chance (probability) of a recorded flood occurred in 1771, Tyne CFMP area, but there is higher particular flood and the impact and caused considerable loss of risk in the urban areas. There is a (consequence) that the flood life and destroyed all bridges in risk of flooding from rivers in would have if it happened. The the Tyne valley apart from that at Haydon Bridge, Hexham and probability of a flood relates to the Corbridge. In more recent years, Corbridge. There is a risk of tidal likelihood of a flood of that size flooding has occurred throughout flooding in the Lower Tyne.