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Thursday, 15 October 2026 09:03

£1.6 million project funded by local authorities and government grants supports flood victims from Storm Babet and Storm Henk

The Environment Agency has helped to install property flood resilience measures in 100 homes across the East Midlands.

Environment Agency officer generic

Among the measures are flood resilient doors and barriers, self-closing air bricks, underfloor sump pumps, and self-closing non return valves on pipework and toilets.

By equipping properties with the measures, the scheme aims to reduce the long‑term impacts of flooding on homes, livelihoods, and wellbeing.

Multiple funding streams have contributed to the £1.6 million project, including funding from local authorities, Trent Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and the government’s Frequently Flooded Allowance.

Homeowners were able to apply for grants following the flood impacts of Storms Babet in October 2023 and Storm Henk in January 2024.

Jon Atkey, Environment Agency’s flood and coastal risk advisor for the East Midlands said:

“From the outset of this project we wanted to increase the resilience of the residents living in flood-hit communities. 

“We did this by ensuring flood groups were established and had flood wardens in place, and by helping people understand their own flood risk and supporting them in putting in place place their own personal flood plans.

“We can’t always prevent flooding, but we can help people understand it, be better prepared and hopefully recover quicker.”

This project forms part of the Environment Agency’s wider commitment to strengthening flood resilience across the East Midlands.

The properties are located across the region: in Bradwell and Denby Bottles in Derbyshire; Girton, Collingham and Pleasley in Nottinghamshire;  and Redmile, Braunstone and Sileby in Leicestershire.

News of the completed project comes as the Environment Agency launches Flood Action Week (w/c 12 October) to help protect the nation.

 

WaterBriefing is supporting the upcoming Floodex & National Drainage Show which takes place in London on 25– 26 November 2026 in London. Now in its eleventh year, Floodex will run alongside the National Civils Show.  Between them the events are set to welcome thousands of civil engineers, contractors, developers and planners, involved in construction, utilities, highways, railway and coastal defence professionals.

Click here for more information and to register for your free ticket to attend Floodex/National Drainage Show/Waterways Management

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