Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the date of completion of (a) flood defence maintenance and (b) future flood defence plans for Kendal as a result of Storm Desmond in 2015-2016.

Flood Defence maintenance for the Westmorland and Lunesdale catchments is completed as an annual rolling program which runs from April through to March. The Environment Agency (EA) is on schedule with the 2018/19 program, which is available to view online here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/river-and-coastal-maintenance-programme

The proposed Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme is planned to be delivered in multiple phases in keeping with the EA’s strategic approach to managing flooding risk within the River Kent catchment. The first phase of linear flood defences through Kendal also includes improvements to the Stock Beck drainage system in the Sandylands area. Subject to the approvals of the business case and necessary permissions, construction is due to start in May 2019 and be complete by March 2021.

The next phase, starting in 2020, is proposed to deliver two flood storage reservoirs on the River Kent upstream of Kendal, which will further increase the standard of protection to properties. These are due for completion in 2022. This is subject to approvals of the business case and necessary planning permissions.

Natural flood risk measures within the catchment are being developed and delivered within the same time period as part of an ongoing programme of works.