Press release

Medway flood protection: public invited to learn more

A series of public drop in sessions are to be held to update communities on the development of the River Medway flood alleviation schemes, a multi-million pound project to reduce the risk of flooding.

The project is being delivered in partnership between the Environment Agency, Kent County Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, and Maidstone Borough Council, and local residents and interested groups will have the opportunity to talk to the partners and find out more about the project to reduce the risk of flooding to communities along the River Medway.

The £17.1 million project to increase the capacity of the Leigh and Hildenborough flood storage areas will provide a better standard of protection to 1,475 properties.

Detailed studies showed that the best way for flood risk to be reduced for communities in Yalding, Collier Street, and Laddingford will be localised flood defences and individual property protection, which can be directly targeted at communities at greater risk.

On 6 October the partnership will begin a series of public drop in sessions so people can come and talk to members of the project group and learn how they have been working together to reduce the risk of flooding to communities along the River Medway.

The full programme of drop in sessions is:

  • Collier Street Church: Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October 2pm-8pm, Saturday 8 October 10am-4pm
  • Yalding Church: Thursday 13 and Friday 14 October 2pm-8pm, Saturday 15 October 10am-4pm
  • Tonbridge Angel Centre: Thursday 20 October 2pm-8pm, Friday 21 October 3pm-8pm, Saturday 22 October 10am-4pm

Julie Foley, Environment Agency Area Manager, said:

This year in Kent an additional 7,566 homes will be better protected from flooding as a result of our work. We have worked closely with our partners to reduce the impacts of future flood events in Tonbridge, Hildenborough, Yalding, Collier Street and the surrounding communities, and the drop in sessions offer local residents a great opportunity to come and find out more about how we are working to provide the most effective solution in each location.

Nicolas Heslop, Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said:

This is an important moment in the project and we are keen to explain to the public how some much needed measures to reduce flood risk could be delivered. I believe this will benefit communities in our borough significantly and I hope people will take the opportunity to learn more about what is proposed.

Published 6 October 2016