Reducing flood risk through strategic scale growth
Transcript of Reducing flood risk through strategic scale growth
Reducing flood risk through strategic scale growth - sharing experiences from the Oxford to Cambridge growth arc
Laura Kitson – Strategic Flood Risk Planning Advisor Flood and Coast – June 2019
Overview
• What is the Oxford to Cambridge arc?
• Where does flood resilience fit in?
• Who is involved, what are we doing differently and why?
What are the limiting factors to economic success?
The arc currently generates ~£110 billion GVA PA This has the potential to rise to ~£250 billion by 2050
CambridgeandOxfordaretwooftheleastaffordableplacestoliveintheUnitedKingdom,withhousepricesdoublethenationalaverage.
…and how to overcome them to maximise potential
Rail
Schemes include the proposed Oxford
to Cambridge Expressway
East-West Rail
Road New homes to be delivered by 2050
Up to 1 Million
What does this actually look like on the ground?
• Existing examples • Enabling infrastructure for
economic development in the Fens
• Enabling infrastructure for housing development in Milton Keynes
• Future enabling infrastructure • Thames Valley Flood Scheme
Upstream storage – Thames Valley Flood Scheme
• How can you use upstream storage to reduce risk?
• Is it feasible? Is it cost effective?
• Complementing existing schemes and improving climate resilience
Enabling infrastructure - what do we need to adapt to climate change and enable growth?
• Large scale multi-site storage • Strategic flood management in the Fens • Strategic surface water flood risk management
Collaboration – bringing together growth and flood resilience
“The area has not been subject to dramatic flooding events in recent years, which can mean
the issue is paid little attention.
However, it should be remembered that it was flooding infrastructure which brought much of
the landscape above water in the 1600s, and it is the continued work of flood risk
infrastructure which ensures it remains so. In this sense, flood risk infrastructure should be considered enabling infrastructure, in that it
allows a great deal of economic activity to happen in the first place (land being the most
fundamental of all the economic factors of production).”
“Levels of investment in flood defence infrastructure should be
substantially increased”
Collaboration – bringing together growth and flood resilience
The Government has continued to work with partners
locally to encourage strategic thinking around
climate resilience, water management and
biodiversity net gain.
There are opportunities to deliver strategic flood
alleviation across multiple river catchments whilst
providing benefits to people including access and
recreation, and we have secured key support from Regional
Flood and Coastal Committees.