Future Flood Resilience for Chelmsford Project

Welcome to the Future Resilience for Chelmsford project page

The Environment Agency have created this page to provide easy access to information on the Future Flood Resilience for Chelmsford project. This page will provide the most up to date information on the scheme as it progresses, so please keep checking back for what's new.


Background

The Environment Agency, in partnership with Chelmsford City Council, are investigating options for reducing flood risk to the city of Chelmsford.

Following the successful completion of the flood risk management works at Chelmer Village back in the 2010s, the Environment Agency is now working to identify other measures that may be required to improve the resilience of Chelmsford to flood risk.

With a changing climate, the flood risk to the city is only likely to increase. Therefore, it is paramount that the Environment Agency, with Chelmsford City Council and other stakeholders, work together to better understand, prepare for, and mitigate the causes and impacts of flooding.


What is currently happening?

The first phase of the project is to improve the understanding of the existing flood risk in the city. To do this, the Environment Agency are updating the flood risk modelling.

The modelling will be used to identify which areas are at highest risk from river flooding in the city. It will also be used to update the GOV.UK website with the latest flood mapping, and to refine our flood warning service.

Watercourse with trees on either side of the riverbank Springfield Gauging Station on River ChelmerThis type of modelling is undertaken periodically by the Environment Agency across the country to support our flood risk management functions. This is separate from the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) prepared by consultants for the City Council which supports and informs where new development can be located within the Council’s Local Plan.

A key input to the modelling is topographical survey data. This data provides information on the shape and size of the river channel, structures in the watercourse, as well as information on the ground levels of features away from the river.

Contractors working for the Environment Agency collected this data throughout the city in May, June and July 2024. This survey information is now being incorporated into the flood risk model, alongside other updated input data.

Alongside this, the Environment Agency are continuing to collect, review and appraise existing and new information, providing the baseline information required to develop outline options for assessment.


What are the next steps for the project?

The flood risk model is expected to be completed by Spring 2025 following which a short list of options will be developed that could potentially reduce flood risk in Chelmsford. The project team will then consult on the options with stakeholders and the public, before identifying a preferred set of economically viable, buildable and sustainable measures to take forward to the next stage of appraisal and design.

Welcome to the Future Resilience for Chelmsford project page

The Environment Agency have created this page to provide easy access to information on the Future Flood Resilience for Chelmsford project. This page will provide the most up to date information on the scheme as it progresses, so please keep checking back for what's new.


Background

The Environment Agency, in partnership with Chelmsford City Council, are investigating options for reducing flood risk to the city of Chelmsford.

Following the successful completion of the flood risk management works at Chelmer Village back in the 2010s, the Environment Agency is now working to identify other measures that may be required to improve the resilience of Chelmsford to flood risk.

With a changing climate, the flood risk to the city is only likely to increase. Therefore, it is paramount that the Environment Agency, with Chelmsford City Council and other stakeholders, work together to better understand, prepare for, and mitigate the causes and impacts of flooding.


What is currently happening?

The first phase of the project is to improve the understanding of the existing flood risk in the city. To do this, the Environment Agency are updating the flood risk modelling.

The modelling will be used to identify which areas are at highest risk from river flooding in the city. It will also be used to update the GOV.UK website with the latest flood mapping, and to refine our flood warning service.

Watercourse with trees on either side of the riverbank Springfield Gauging Station on River ChelmerThis type of modelling is undertaken periodically by the Environment Agency across the country to support our flood risk management functions. This is separate from the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) prepared by consultants for the City Council which supports and informs where new development can be located within the Council’s Local Plan.

A key input to the modelling is topographical survey data. This data provides information on the shape and size of the river channel, structures in the watercourse, as well as information on the ground levels of features away from the river.

Contractors working for the Environment Agency collected this data throughout the city in May, June and July 2024. This survey information is now being incorporated into the flood risk model, alongside other updated input data.

Alongside this, the Environment Agency are continuing to collect, review and appraise existing and new information, providing the baseline information required to develop outline options for assessment.


What are the next steps for the project?

The flood risk model is expected to be completed by Spring 2025 following which a short list of options will be developed that could potentially reduce flood risk in Chelmsford. The project team will then consult on the options with stakeholders and the public, before identifying a preferred set of economically viable, buildable and sustainable measures to take forward to the next stage of appraisal and design.

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Page last updated: 12 Nov 2024, 01:16 PM