Protection for Rye

RYE’S coastline is to get improved flood protection with the Government giving the green light for construction to start on defences this year.

It means work can get underway on a number of schemes which stretch from east of Camber to Pett Level and form part of a £294 million nationwide scheme.

For the Rye area it will see improvements carried out to the Rother tidal wall and a coastal defence scheme being completed at Broomhill, Camber.

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It will also see improvements carried out to riverbanks at Jury’s Gap, near Camber, and shingle replacement at Pett Level,

Among the schemes to get funding is a new habitat creation at Rye Harbour Farm.

The Government believes improved flood defences will unlock the economic potential of the Rye area by encouraging more businesses and industry to set up on brownfield areas that had previously been at risk of flooding.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, said: “Extra funding that we announced at Autumn Statement to boost growth is already being allocated to areas where flood defences will unlock new development and job opportunities, creating a stronger local economy.”

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Lord Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency, said: “Our priority is to do as much as we can with every pound of funding and the new partnership funding approach is bringing in new money to allow flood defences to go ahead that would have been unaffordable in the past. We now expect to improve protection for 165,000 properties by 2015.”

Rye Labour East Sussex County Council candidate, Jonathan Lee commented: “With sea levels rising due to global warming & evidence of increased rainfall levels, the risk of flooding is something that is becoming of increasing concern for those living in tidal and river flood plain areas.

“We therefore welcome this turn-around by the Government and the announcement of flood improvements in eastern Rother over the coming year, as a move in the right direction.”

The full list of schemes going ahead in 2013/14 is published on the Environment Agency website at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/118129.aspx.

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