Swanscombe and Northfleet Policy Unit: Thames Estuary 2100
What needs to be done to manage flood risk and adapt to rising sea levels in Swanscombe and Northfleet, one of 23 policy units in Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100).
Applies to England
Map centred on the Swanscombe and Northfleet policy unit boundary. This includes the area from Greenhithe to Gravesend, to the south of the River Thames. The map extends 2 kilometres (km) north, 0.5km south and 1.5km east and west to show areas surrounding the policy unit boundary. The flood risk layer shows that, without the existing flood defences, there is a 0.1% or higher chance of flooding each year in many areas of the policy unit, especially in the Swanscombe Marshes. The risk is reduced by defences.
Description
The Swanscombe and Northfleet Policy Unit extends from the riverfront town of Greenhithe to Gravesend, on the south bank of the River Thames. It includes:
- the Swanscombe, Black Duck and Botany Marshes
- an industrial area of Northfleet
- part of the town of Gravesend
The councils responsible for this area are:
- Dartford Borough Council
- Gravesham Borough Council
The River Ebbsfleet flows through the area.
Use the Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100) map to view all the policy units.
Local areas at risk and types of flooding
The areas are risk of flooding are the river frontages at:
- Gravesend
- Northfleet
These include residential, industrial and recreation areas.
The industrial area extends into the Swanscombe peninsula, most of which is currently undeveloped. It also contains a portal of the High Speed 1 (Channel Tunnel Rail Link) tunnel under the Thames.
There is proposed development in the flood risk area, including:
- the London Entertainment Resort
- the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation’s potential future developments
Different types of flooding could affect this policy unit. This includes:
- tidal flooding – when the tide overtops flood defences
- fluvial flooding – when heavy rainfall causes rivers to overflow their banks or defences
- groundwater flooding – when underground water stores (aquifers) overflow
- surface water flooding – when heavy rainfall is unable to drain away
- a combination of these
Managing flood risk in this area
To manage these risks there are tidal flood defences both downriver (east) and upriver (west) of the Thames Barrier.
The Environment Agency also uses flood alerts and flood warnings to inform people about potential flooding so they can take appropriate action.
Sign up to receive flood warnings in your area.
Flood risk management policies for this area
Thames Estuary 2100 sets flood risk management policies for each area of the estuary. The policies range from P3 to P5 and outline how we should manage that area’s tidal defences.
In this area a P4 policy applies.
This means we will take further action to keep up with climate and land use change so that flood risk does not increase. We will need to work with other risk management authorities to do more to manage flood risk.
Find out more about flood risk management policies.
Local requirements: who needs to do what
Tidal flood defence owners
By 2040, tidal flood defence owners in this policy unit should:
- work with the council, developers and local infrastructure providers to adapt defences and achieve multiple benefits through proposed development
- work with the Environment Agency to raise defences where required
For further information read outcome 2: improving fixed flood defences.
Local councils
There is currently no riverside strategy for this area. By 2030, councils should work with communities to plan how their riverside will look in future.
Find out more about the riverside strategy approach.
Thames Estuary Partnership
The Thames Estuary Partnership will work with communities, councils, the Environment Agency and other partners to update the Thames Strategy East.
This landscape vision for the river corridor will include a riverside strategy approach to tidal flood defence upgrades.