PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Flood Control: Bristol (26 January 2023)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of constructing additional flood defences in the city of Bristol due to rising sea levels.

Asked by:
Darren Jones (Labour)

The Environment Agency (EA) has been working in Partnership with Bristol City Council to address the flood risk from the River Avon. The Bristol Avon Flood Strategy identifies the increasing flood risk to the city centre due to river levels and the expected age-related deterioration of existing flood risk assets. Today a severe flood from the River Avon would result in the flooding of approximately 1,100 homes and businesses. By the end of this century the number of properties at risk is expected to increase to approximately 4,500 existing properties.

Bristol City Council and the EA are developing the Outline Business cases (OBCs), which will deliver the first phases of improved flood defences from the late 2020’s onward. A phased approach to improving the defences will require £216 million of investment, including £147 million of Partnership Funding over the next 100 years. The Council are working to develop a strategy to identify the sources of this funding.

A strategic approach to managing the risk of flooding in the central area of Bristol will:

• Future proof substantial parts of the city to ensure flood risk to homes and businesses is adequately addressed, taking an adaptive approach to climate change
• Facilitate the development and regeneration of areas currently subject to flood risk
• Provide opportunities for improved walking and cycling links, enhanced green spaces and biodiversity gains
• Provide nearly £1 billion in economic benefit to the UK and unlock over £7 billion benefits to the local economy by enabling growth at sites currently constrained by flood risk

Answered by:
Rebecca Pow (Conservative)
2 February 2023