Ipswich And Great Yarmouth To Get Millions For Flood Defences

7 February 2013, 13:04 | Updated: 7 February 2013, 13:28

The Government has announced that millions of pounds is to be spent on flood defences in Ipswich and Great Yarmouth.

4,00 more homes in Great Yarmouth are going to be protected with a £28.6million project to replace the flood wall in Cobholm and Southtown.  Other flood defences will also be repaired.

It is hoped work will start in April this year with completion in December 2015.

More than 3,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Great Yarmouth in the 2007 surge tide which came close to overtopping the flood defences.

Environment Agency flood risk manager Richard Houghton said: “Over the last few years we have been working really closely with partners for an affordable solution to the flood risk in Great Yarmouth.

“We are delighted this important project can now progress and will be talking to partners about future maintenance and any future phases.”

In Ipswich it's thought a new tidal barrier could create 4,000 jobs.  It's costing £24.5million and is expected to protect 1,500 homes and around 400 commercial properties.

The plan is to build a tidal barrier across the New Cut River with work starting in June 2014 and completing by March 2016.

The overall cost of the scheme is £53.6 million with funds coming from the Environment Agency, Ipswich Borough Council, the Haven Gateway Partnership, the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and local levy funds.

Ipswich MP Ben Gummer said: “This is exceptionally good news - it is the final piece of funding that we needed to ensure that Ipswich is protected from flooding so that people can invest with confidence.

“We have secured the long term security of the town.  I am thrilled that two years of persistent effort in lobbying the government have now paid off.”