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Introduction to the Scheme

The Environment Agency is delivering a proposed Flood Risk Management Scheme to better protect homes and business from flooding in the Kent catchment, and improve the local environment and community amenities. Kendal is the first area to be delivered, followed by Burneside, Staveley, and Ings, and upstream measures including flood storage. In addition, Natural Flood Management measures are being integrated into the plans which aim to slow the flow of water and provide wider environmental benefits across the catchment.

Overview

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Kendal has a long history of flooding which was experienced most recently during Storm Desmond in 2015, when 2,276 properties and businesses were flooded in Kendal, Burneside, Staveley and Ings. Since then, the Environment Agency along with Westmorland and Furness Council  (formerly Cumbria County Council and South Lakeland District Council), United Utilities and other professional partners including the local community identified over 60 different options to address the complex flood issues that affect the catchment. Each option was considered for their technical feasibility, economic viability, environmental sustainability and social acceptability. The preferred option was presented in September 2018.

 

 

The preferred option takes a catchment based approach and includes a combination of linear defences, improved pumping and conveyance, upstream storage, complimentary natural flood management interventions and wider environmental improvements. Multi-million pounds worth of construction will better protect 1,480 homes and 1,151 business in Kendal, Burneside, Staveley and Ings. For information on Burneside, Staveley and Ings and upstream measures, click here.

 

Taking a catchment based approach the Flood Risk Management Scheme will be delivered through the Kent catchment as follows:

Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme

  • Focusing on Kendal, a combination of raised linear defences and improved conveyance will protect homes and businesses from Mintsfeet in the northern end of the town to Helsington Mills in the southern end of the town.

 

Burneside, Staveley and Ings Flood Risk Management Scheme

  • The Flood Risk Management Scheme will protect homes and businesses in the communities of Burneside, Staveley and Ings. The scheme will comprise of linear flood defences, flow routing improvements such as raised kerbs and localised land raising as well as improving the flow of water where the River Gowan joins the River Kent.

 

Upstream Storage, Improved Conveyance, and Natural Flood Management (NFM)

  • Flood storage is a proposal within the Upper Kent catchment, located upstream of Kendal. The role of flood storage areas are to limit and control the volume of flood water flowing through Kendal, Burneside, Staveley and Ings during a flood, also providing increased resilience to bridges downstream and enabling more efficient drainage of surface water into the river.
  • A catchment drain from Stock Beck East and North into the River Mint is proposed to reduce the risk of flooding from Stock Beck in the residential area of Sandylands in Kendal.

Upstream storage will provide the necessary storage capacity required to temporarily hold excess flood water during storm conditions. By maximising and formalising the existing floodplain in key upstream locations, it provides the ability to reduce the amount of flood water that flows through the downstream villages and Kendal town. These measures, in conjunction with works to improve conveyance of water and the installation of NFM measures to hold water and slow the flow, provide a suite of effective measures.

These are important elements to complete the scheme, each providing a number of flood risk benefits and playing a vital role in managing excess flows from the upper reaches of the catchment.

For more information on Burneside, Staveley and Ings, and Upstream Measures, click here.

 

Journey Map to Delivery