Image description: Radcliffe Camera in Radcliffe square, Oxford. Image by Lina Kivaka / Pixabay.
Major flood defences designed to protect more than 160,000 residents at risk of flooding have been approved by the government.
The Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme will be built along the River Thames in Oxford, with the aim of providing reassurance to local homes and businesses. The Environment Secretary Steve Reed approved the purchase of land by the Environment Agency (EA) despite some objections from landowners. Floods Minister Emma Hardy called the estimated £176m scheme “a vital new piece of infrastructure”.
With a compulsory purchase order of the land confirmed, the EA said construction was expected to start in late 2026. Oxfordshire County Council previously approved planning permission for the project in July 2024. It is one of the biggest schemes of its kind currently proposed in England and comes as the government aims to spend £2.65bn on flood defences over two years.
Objections from campaigners
The Hinksey and Osney Environment Group had been hoping the Government would use some of their suggestions for the project and are now considering challenging the report or the planning process.
Cities and towns begin flood proofing
Image description: A volunteer constructs a natural flood management feature on the Saffron Brook in Leicester. Image by Marie Heuclin / phys.org
Oxford residents have begun flood proofing their homes as climate change threatens to bring heavier rain and more extreme weather in the future.
Many other towns across the UK are harnessing natural flood management to combat the increased flooding risk.
New flood prediction map
A team led by researchers at the University of Oxford claims they have created the most complete map of the world’s rivers ever made, strengthening flood prediction, climate risk planning, and water resource management in a warming world. The new study, published in Water Resources Research, introduces GRIT — a mapping system that finally shows how rivers really flow, branch, and connect landscapes.
Government’s national Floods Resilience Taskforce
Bolstering the nation’s resilience to flooding was reportedly top of the agenda as the Government’s national Floods Resilience Taskforce convened in Aintree this week.
The meeting was chaired by Floods Minister Emma Hardy and hosted by Mersey Fire and Rescue Service at their National Resilience Centre of Excellence, one of the UK’s most advanced emergency service training facilities, used to co-ordinate national responses to large scale incidents and provide firefighters with the necessary training and skills to respond to events such as severe flooding.
The taskforce meeting brought together partners including Defra, Cabinet Office, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Environment Agency, the Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, Mayoral Offices, emergency responders, the National Farmers Union, and environmental interest groups.