Eastbourne and Wealden residents urged to share views on flood project

Eastbourne and south Wealden residents have less than two weeks to share their views on a project which aims to reduce the impact of flooding in the area.

The aim of the Blue Heart project, led by East Sussex County Council (ESCC), is to build a smart water level management system that warns of heavy rainfall, calculates the best response and issues flood warnings and alerts – ensuring residents are better informed and protected.

An ESCC spokesperson said, “Feedback from the public consultation will help the county council and partner agencies including the Environment Agency, Southern Water, Pevensey and Cuckmere Water Level Management Board and local authorities better understand local flood risk and how people are using bodies of water, watercourses and drainage systems in the area.”

Residents had also been urged to attend a drop-in or webinar about the Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne Coastal Management Scheme.

Councillor Claire Dowling, ESCC’s lead member for transport and environment, added, “We know the adverse impact flooding can have on homes and businesses, and the huge benefit of a water management system that mitigates the risk cannot be underestimated.

“Having a real understanding of how people interact with water in the area and how they are affected by flooding, flood risk and management will help us ensure that any system put in place works for everyone.

“There is a complex network of agencies and organisations involved in the management of water and flood risk and it can often be confusing. This project is about those agencies and the public working together to improve resilience and reduce the effect of flooding in Eastbourne and south Wealden.

“The more views and information we can gather through the public consultation, the more successful this project can be.”

The six-year project is one of 25 to secure funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ innovation fund, according to ESCC.

The spokesperson said the project will help build a better understanding of the complex interaction between rivers, groundwater, the public sewer network and surface water.

ESCC added, “The water management system developed as part of the Blue Heart project will make better use of watercourses, ponds and lakes so they are ready to contain any incoming storm water without negatively impacting the environment.”

Residents can take part in the consultation, which ends on Monday, May 2, through ESCC’s website.

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