Exeter flood funding swells

More than £3 million has been secured to improve Exeter’s flood defences after a major national spending announcement.

Spending on Trews Weir upgrades will top £2.8 million, with another £484,000 identified for the Exeter flood defence scheme, which was installed in the 1970s and has since been “tested to the limit”, according to the Environment Agency.

It’s not yet clear how and where the money on the flood defence scheme will be spent; the scheme notionally stretches along around 8 kilometres of the River Exe from the northern end of the city, the city centre, and then Bridge Road area.

The city’s MP, Steve Race, welcomed the cash, which was announced as part of a £1.4 billion investment announced for the forthcoming 2026/27 financial year for a host of schemes across the country.

Other schemes in the Exeter and Exmouth area have also secured cash, including Powderham banks improvement, the Whimple flood defence scheme, and the Budleigh Salterton Lower Otter restoration scheme.

“Flooding has caused real disruption for families and businesses in Exeter and across Devon over the last winter,” Mr Race said.

“As climate change drives more regular and extreme storms, making sure our homes are protected by our local flood defences is absolutely essential.”

He added that the latest funding had come after a range of cash boosts last year, including £224,000 for the city’s flood defences, £150,000 for the Devon County Council Property Level Resilience scheme, and nearly £1.9 million for repairs to Trews Weir.