Following our public drop-in events with the Coggeshall, Feering and Kelvedon communities in summer 2019, we have continued work to finalise the design for the Coggeshall, Feering and Kelvedon flood alleviation scheme, which aims to protect these communities from further flooding.
As part of the design process, we have undertaken modelling of the River Blackwater upstream of Coggeshall. The outputs from this have helped to inform and refine the design of the scheme, including the dam, ensuring it will significantly reduce flood risk to the villages of Coggeshall, Feering and Kelvedon and benefit the surrounding communities.
This scheme is designed to reduce the risk from river (known as fluvial) flooding from the River Blackwater, which floods because of intense or prolonged periods of rain falling across a large upstream catchment area, causing water levels in the river channel to rise and overflow into the floodplain.
Note: Surface water (also known as pluvial) flooding is caused by periods of heavy rainfall, causing water to flow over the land before reaching a river or draining into the ground. This risk will need to be managed separately. River flooding and surface water flooding do not always happen at the same time. View the Environment Agency’s updated risk of flood from surface water maps.
Once the design stage is complete, a planning application and supporting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be submitted to Essex County Council for their consideration and approval following their formal process,
Once the planning application is submitted to Essex County Council, everyone will have the opportunity to comment on the scheme. Background details about the scheme, including the original presentation boards explaining some of the changes made to the scheme’s design, are included on this web page.
There is also a video presentation to support the documentation that explains the scheme and planned phased construction. This is hosted on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfULOeddT-c
Coggeshall flooding in 2001
Background
In October 2001 Coggeshall, Feering and Kelvedon suffered from significant flooding. Since then, in May 2012 and February 2014 the villages experienced further flooding. Due to changing weather patterns, associated with climate change, the villages are expected to experience more frequent, more damaging flooding in the future.
In 2006 we commissioned a study to explore whether a scheme would be viable for the villages. The study demonstrated that the cost-benefit ratio for this area was low, resulting in options being too expensive to fund through our Flood Defence Grant in Aid (FDGiA) money. The study also highlighted the need to complete a hydrological model of Robins Brook, a “Main River” under our jurisdiction, before considering a future scheme. This work was completed in 2013 allowing us to carry out further investigation.
Out of the 8 options we consulted on in 2015, the scheme that received the greatest public support was that of providing flood storage within the River Blackwater. However, this option could not go forward for several reasons. Firstly, initial costs were estimated to be unaffordable, with no corresponding funding source available. Secondly, it failed to achieve the required levels of flood protection, as there is insufficient storage capacity within the Blackwater Valley.
In 2015 we approached Blackwater Aggregates to ask for their support in developing a low impact and sustainable flood alleviation scheme within the Blackwater Valley, which could provide the necessary 1% annual probability (1 in 100) flood storage across land under their control. Through our discussions it became apparent that by working together a long-term solution could be found.
The proposed flood alleviation scheme
Artist impression of the finished scheme
The flood alleviation scheme will reduce the impacts of flooding from the River Blackwater to the villages of Coggeshall, Feering and Kelvedon, through the creation of a dam and extended flood storage area. It will include:
The scheme has been designed to hold more than 3 million m3 of flood water during an event. This will greatly reduce the volume of flood water reaching the villages of Coggeshall, Kelvedon and Feering, during a 1% annual probability (1 in 100) flood from the River Blackwater. When the river is flowing normally, the flood storage area will be dry and maintained as a floodplain meadow.
What has changed since the 2019 public drop-in events?
We have considered the feedback from the public consultation events we held in 2019, and where possible made changes. Key to any changes is agreement from the local landowners. If the scheme is successful, we hope to build on the project and promote further opportunities for ourselves to work with local stakeholder groups, to explore other local initiatives which may be incorporated into the scheme, through partnership working.
Project funding
This project has received £1 million from central government ‘Grant in Aid’, plus £0.5 million in Local Levy (via the Environment Agency), and up to £8 million in direct funding contributions through the Blackwater Aggregates partnership. Blackwater Aggregates normal quarrying operations across the site will ultimately support in the delivery of a flood alleviation scheme, which would cost in excess of £25 million for the Environment Agency to deliver without the partnership approach.
If planning is approved for the scheme, the Environment Agency has already secured a further £2 million for future costs and ongoing maintenance of the scheme.
In the section below you will find links to the current scheme information and designs. We have been working hard to get all the planning documentation prepared, but this has taken longer than planned. The planning application will be submitted to Essex County Council this summer 2023.
The updated scheme information and designs will be added to this page when the planning application is submitted to Essex County Council and you will be able to make your comments to the council as part of the planning process.
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