The Environment Agency is carrying out pre-construction work for a £1.8 million flood alleviation scheme in Severn Stoke that will better protect homes and businesses in the historic Worcestershire village.
The embankment will provide better protection from the devastating impact of flooding to 18 homes and businesses. This includes the Grade II-listed, 14th century St Deny’s Church, the 500-year-old Rose and Crown pub and the village hall.
The scheme is being developed in partnership with Worcestershire County Council and Malvern Hills District Council. It will also better protect the nearby A38, preventing disruption to the busy trunk road and the adjacent Severn Trent Water pumping station.
Work will soon start on the final site clearance necessary to allow the flood embankment to be built. Approximately 60 trees will be removed before the nesting season begins, and 20 nesting boxes are being installed to provide alternative nesting space for birds and a further 10 for bats.
Marc Lidderth, Environment Agency operations manager for Shropshire and Worcestershire, said:
“The flood embankment scheme is a much-needed development for Severn Stoke to better protect properties from the devastation of flooding.
“The removal of some trees in the area is necessary to enable us to start work on the embankment. We will be planting six times as many trees as we are removing across the area and ensuring birds have nesting boxes for the spring. We are also removing the trees in sections so as not to damage any habitats, such as those of the great crested newt.”
The Environment Agency will be planting 360 trees in the Malvern district area as compensation for the loss of trees on site. The scheme will also incorporate a pollinator corridor along the ‘dry side’ of the embankment and place bird and bat boxes throughout the scheme area.
Severn Stoke has flooded several times in recent years, including this January.
This phase of the scheme also includes an archaeological investigation on the site, currently taking place. Earlier investigations found evidence of a medieval settlement in the field south of St Deny’s Church, including roof tiles, pots, stoneware and fabric.
Councillor Richard Morris, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for environment, added:
“Worcestershire County Council continues to actively support the Environment Agency and the Severn Stoke community in their delivery of this scheme. Further reducing the risk of flooding is a priority for the council, and this is an important part of a wide-ranging programme of activity to do so.”
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