More homes to be protected from flooding in Essex

Essex residents can now apply for extra funding to help prevent their homes from being flooded.

Essex County Council has received a £100,000 boost from the Environment Agency to protect its homes from flooding. This is in addition to £145,000 already dedicated, bringing the new total to £245,000.

The council’s Essex Flood and Water Management team has run the Property Level Protection (PLP) scheme, which offers a £5,000 grant to homeowners whose homes have previously flooded, since 2015. The money has been tailored to individual homes to make them more resilient to flooding.

Successful applicants have their properties surveyed and receive a consultation with the suppliers of the flood product.

They recommend necessary products such as waterproof air bricks and flood barriers, and if the cost is in excess of £5,000 the homeowner is asked to contribute.

In the last financial year the scheme protected 71 homes from flooding. This year it is expected to provide protection for at least another 100.

The scheme is expected to secure a further £100,000 from the Environment Agency later this year.

It is a practical solution to flooding that benefits residents across the country in both urban and rural areas because it is cost-effective where only single properties have been flooded, unlike large scale flood prevention schemes.

Mike Steptoe, Essex County Council’s deputy cabinet member for environment and waste, said: “Seeing your beloved home and possessions knee deep in flood water must be absolutely devastating but sometimes just a few preventative measures can help avoid that heartbreak.

“So I am delighted to receive this extra funding from the Environment Agency as I know it will be put to very good use and we can make sure that our residents can stay safe with the best protection possible.”