Sand dunes in Cornwall to be protected as part of new flooding projects
The Duchy will get a share of a £150m cash pot
Cornwall is going to get a share of a £150m fund to help combat flooding.
Cash will be used for 25 specialised innovative projects across the country, aimed at boosting defences and improving coastal resilience.
Defra says the plans will include things such as flood alert apps and "sponge" road surfaces.
In the Duchy, money will go towards designating and protecting sand dunes on the Cornish Ccast to protect coastal settlements and economies from coastal erosion and rising sea levels.
Six sites will be selected to deliver planting, saltmarsh restoration, protection of community infrastructure and support to SMEs, with learning transferred across the country.
The government says the 'pioneering' projects, led by local authorities and delivered over the next six years, will receive a share of £150 million from Defra as part of the government’s new Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme and will be managed by the Environment Agency.
They are part of the government’s long-term plan on flood and coastal erosion.
"We’re investing a record £5.2 billion in 2,000 new flood and coastal defences over the next six years – but with the effects of climate change already being felt it’s vital that we combine this with long-term approaches to improve communities’ resilience.
"These 25 projects will not only help to inform future approaches to prepare communities for flooding and coastal change across the country, but also help reinforce the UK’s position as a world leader in innovation and new technology as we build back better. "
Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow
"The innovation programme is extremely exciting as it begins to put new aspects of the national flood and coastal erosion risk strategy to the test. What we learn will inform our approach to the climate crisis in the coming decades and it’s something to tell our international partners about at COP26.
"I’m particularly interested in the projects that test the ability of nature-based projects to generate revenue. If successful, these could be scaled up by private finance around the world, helping to prepare for climate shocks, restore nature and create jobs.
"The funding is in addition to the government’s record £5.2 billion investment in new flood and coastal defences to better protect 336,000 properties across England by 2027. The 25 areas have been selected following an expressions of interest process managed by Defra and the Environment Agency and assessed by an independent expert panel."
Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency