Benefits
Project ambitions
The Environment Agency and partners have identified several ambitions the Thames Valley Flood Scheme would like to achieve. How potential solutions deliver against these ambitions will be used as part of the process to shortlist preferred approaches.
Flood risk management ambitions:
Improve flood resilience to over 20,000 properties.
Benefit communities and businesses that have previously suffered river flooding where defences have not been built and are not planned.
Improve the climate change resilience of communities that benefit from existing and planned flood risk management schemes into the future.
Environmental ambitions:
Create new publicly accessible recreational asset(s) of regional significance.
Create new habitat(s) of regional significance delivering net gain for biodiversity and natural capital.
Provide a measurable positive contribution to sustainable development, demonstrating our contribution towards international, national and local goals.
Scale ambitions:
Benefit a large geographical area throughout the Thames Valley, including multiple local authorities.
Other ambitions:
In delivery, the Environment Agency also aims to:
Ensure the project is economically viable, affordable and deliverable.
Deliver the project in partnership (see more about Our Team).
Explore opportunities to work with others to reduce flood risk from surface water, groundwater and sewers.
Emit 80% less construction carbon in comparison to previously constructed Flood Alleviation Schemes and be a Net Zero contributor from 2030 onwards.
Help communities understand the need for climate resilience measures to reduce the growing flood risk.
Encourage diversity and reduce inequality in the Thames Valley.