Devon and Cornwall to benefit from flood defence schemes as part of £1.4bn national investment

Hundreds of homes and businesses across Devon and Cornwall are set to receive improved protection from flooding, following the announcement of 70 new and upgraded schemes in the region.

The schemes form part of a £1.4 billion national investment in flood defences for 2026/27, delivered by the Environment Agency, and sit within a wider programme of at least £10.5 billion between 2024 and 2036 - the largest flood defence investment in England’s history.

Across Devon and Cornwall, the programme is expected to help protect more than 900 homes and businesses, contributing to a national total of over 600 schemes aimed at safeguarding tens of thousands of properties.

One of the key local projects is the Paignton Seafront Coastal Defence Scheme in Paignton, which will receive £7.17 million of investment this financial year.

The scheme, promoted by Torbay Council, is designed to protect around 210 homes and businesses from coastal flooding linked to rising sea levels. Without intervention, more properties in Paignton and nearby Preston could be at increasing risk over the next 50 years.

Plans include strengthening sea defences while enhancing the seafront with improved promenades, seating, pathways and planting, creating a more accessible and attractive environment for residents and visitors.

Nationally, the investment includes £830 million for flood schemes in 2026/27, alongside more than £260 million to manage, maintain and repair existing flood defence assets, including damage caused by recent storms.

An additional £300 million will be invested in natural flood management over the next decade, making it the highest level of funding for nature-based solutions to date.

Floods Minister Emma Hardy said: "Flooding can turn lives upside down in a matter of hours, destroying homes, shutting down businesses and leaving communities facing months of heartbreak and recovery.

"This £1.4bn investment will help protect tens of thousands of homes and businesses across the country and strengthen the defences families rely on when the worst happens.

"We've already stepped in to stabilise our flood assets after years of decline and this funding goes further, creating thousands of jobs, protecting communities from billions of pounds of damage, and unlocking new homes and businesses in places made safer from flooding."

Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management at the Environment Agency, added: "This investment allows the Environment Agency and our partners to continue our work needed to protect communities from flooding.

"With more than 600 schemes being delivered across England, in partnership with local authorities, homes and businesses will benefit from stronger defences.

"From major flood barriers and strengthened embankments to natural flood management and coastal defence projects, we're combining engineering and nature-based solutions to reduce flood risk and build long-term resilience for communities across the country."

Ben Johnstone, Area Flood and Coastal Risk Manager for Devon and Cornwall, said the Paignton scheme demonstrated the wider benefits of investment.

"The Paignton Seafront Coastal Defence Scheme is a fantastic example of how flood investment can deliver benefits that go far beyond protecting properties.

“By strengthening the coastal defences and improving the promenades at Paignton and Preston, this not only safeguards hundreds of homes and businesses from the very real threat of rising sea levels but also creating seafronts that the whole community can be proud of.”

Since 2024, the Government has prioritised repairs and maintenance to stabilise flood defence assets, following years of decline.

Over the past two years, £2.65 billion has been invested in flood defences, with a further £4.2 billion planned between 2026/27 and 2028/29 for new schemes and maintenance.

Over the next decade, the programme is expected to benefit 840,000 properties across England. Officials estimate that every £1 spent on flood defences helps prevent around £8 in economic damage.

The Environment Agency, working with councils and other local risk management authorities, will deliver the programme nationwide.