Home / Environment / Somerset Secures £89.9M for Flood Defenses
Somerset Secures £89.9M for Flood Defenses
17 Mar
Summary
- Somerset will receive £89.9 million for flood prevention measures.
- The funding will support 15 projects, including the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier.
- The Bridgwater Tidal Barrier aims to protect thousands of homes and businesses.
Somerset has been allocated £89.9 million in government funding to bolster flood prevention measures, announced as part of the 2026/27 national funding round for flood defence schemes. The investment aims to protect homes and businesses across the county.
This funding will support 15 distinct projects. The largest portion, £59 million, is dedicated to the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier, currently under construction on the River Parrett. This barrier is engineered to shield approximately 11,300 homes and 1,500 businesses in Bridgwater and surrounding areas from tidal surges originating from the Bristol Channel.
Further allocations include £6.1 million for replacing pumps on the Somerset Levels and Moors and £6.6 million for trash screens to manage waterway debris. These measures come after a challenging winter that saw a major incident declared in January, with widespread school closures and evacuations. The government is also reviewing the potential for year-round pump installations to improve long-term flood resilience.
