Defra and the Environment Agency said that over 25,000 more homes would be better protected from the devastating effects of flooding as a result of the new schemes.

Those given the go ahead  include Warrington in Cheshire, protecting over 1900 households, Salmons Brook in North London, protecting over 1300 households, and Godmanchester in Cambridgeshire, protecting over 300 households.

Richard Benyon, Minister for the Natural Environment and Fisheries, said:

“The new flood defence schemes announced today will bring huge relief to tens of thousands of households.  Our investment will protect these communities from the devastating effects of flooding, and reduce the fear and worry of homes being damaged.”

New estimates also show that the Environment Agency is now on track to exceed its target of better protecting 145,000 homes by 2015.

Via the new partnership funding approach, which encourages funding from external sources such as councils and businesses, over £72million of contributions have been secured to help fund flood and coastal erosion schemes on top of the £2.17 billion Defra is investing in preventing flooding during this spending period to 2015.

Regional Flood and Coastal Committees have worked with local communities to attract flood defence funding from sources such as councils, businesses and private investors.

The Partnership Funding approach was introduced in May 2011 to encourage external contributions so that taxpayers’ money is spread across more schemes.

Richard Benyon continued:

“Small towns like Cockermouth and Morpeth became household names after the devastation and distress caused by flooding in recent years.  Today, residents here and in many towns across the country are reaping the rewards of the partnership funding model brought in to enable more flood defence schemes to go ahead.  We now expect to exceed our goal to protect 145,000 more homes from flooding by 2015.”

The Partnership Funding model targets areas of severe flood and coastal erosion risk, and homes in deprived communities.  Of the 145,000 homes that will be better protected by 2015, around half are in areas of significant flood risk and almost 15,000 households are both at significant flood risk and in the most deprived parts of the country.

As well as the flood schemes that will progress as result of this year’s funding, the allocation for 2012/13 also covers maintenance of existing defences. The Environment Agency has also committed to increasing the number of people receiving free flood warnings to over 1.1 million.