City’s flood defence scheme handed £35m boost

Derby City Council has been handed a £35 million boost by the Government to fund the next phase of the city’s flood defence scheme.

The Our City, Our River (OCOR) project has been awarded Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) from its Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Investment Programme.

The cash secures the future of Derby Riverside, which will deliver significant flood resilience protection to many properties along the east bank of the River Derwent.

It will now go to the city council’s cabinet to be formally accepted, which will then allow it to enter into contract negotiations with construction partners.

Councillor Carmel Swan, the city council’s cabinet member for climate change, transport and sustainability, said:  “It’s incredible news for Derby that this funding package has been allocated by the Government to protect our city from the risk of flooding.

“This will be such welcome news for households and businesses alike. We can now really start to push ahead with the works at Derby Riverside as we continue to future proof the city against extreme weather.”

The city saw the effects of climate change in action in 2023 when river levels reached their highest point ever recorded during Storm Babet, and while the flood gates and defences built during earlier phases of OCOR have not been called into action since, there have been several named storms in recent months.

Councillor Swan said: “Here in Derby, we’re all too familiar with the effects of climate change.

“In the last six years we have seen the five highest river levels on record.

“The Our City, Our River flood prevention scheme has already delivered enhanced protection to thousands of properties, but there is still more work to do to ensure our city has the best defences possible.

“This £35 million investment means we can now build on the years of hard work from the council and Environment Agency to deliver this critical infrastructure our city needs.”

The next stage of the OCOR project will be managed by the Environment Agency on the city council’s behalf.

Alex McDonald, strategic senior flood risk management adviser at the Environment Agency, said: “We know the devastating effect that flooding can have on communities and businesses including within Derby city.

“OCOR represents a long-standing partnership between Derby City Council and the Environment Agency.

“The Derby Riverside element will replace aging flood defences in the city, provide space for water and help to transform the city centre.

“As the project moves into its next phase, we will continue to support Derby City Council to deliver this vital infrastructure for the city centre, helping the city to keep pace with our changing climate.”

Derby Riverside will deliver enhanced protection along the east bank of the river, starting at Causey Bridge and ending at the Railway Bridge across the river.

The new flood wall and flood gates will offer far better protection for Exeter House and properties in Meadow Road and Meadow Lane, as well as unlocking the potential for regeneration in this part of the city.

The works will involve the demolition of the riverside office blocks in Stuart Street to create a new riverside green area, providing more space for water to pass through the city in a controlled corridor during a flood event.

The council is currently working with affected businesses to acquire the necessary land.

The next stage will also provide enhanced protection to businesses such as Rolls-Royce, which is planning to expand its riverside site at Raynesway.

Terry Meighan, director of infrastructure at Rolls-Royce Submarines, said: “We continue to work closely with Derby City Council and the Environment Agency on future flood defences, which will protect our Raynesway site and play an important role in our expansion plans.

“The work we do helps protect the UK by powering the Royal Navy’s fleet of nuclear submarines and defending against flooding helps us maintain our delivery commitments to the UK Ministry of Defence.”