Over £600,000 has been secured for eight Carlisle flood schemes thanks to a county MP.
The Government has announced £603,000 for the Environment Agency to invest in flood alleviation schemes in and around the city.
This investment follows a series of meetings between Carlisle MP Julie Minns, the Environment Agency and government ministers.
Among the local flood priorities receiving investment are the Caldew Flood Risk Management Scheme, the Wigton Road Surface Water Scheme, and the Cumwhinton Flood Alleviation Scheme.
The main project is the Caldew Flood Risk Management Scheme. First proposed following Storm Desmond in 2015, a lack of progress left it at risk of being dropped altogether.
Since being elected, Ms Minns said she had pushed ministers and the Environment Agency to revive the Caldew scheme and as a result, viability work was restarted last year.
Today’s announcement gives the Environment Agency the funding required to develop the scheme’s business plan, which is essential if it is to stand any chance of being delivered.
Ms Minns said: “For too long, our community has lived with the fear of flooding.
“The critical preparatory work for the Caldew Scheme ground to a halt under the last Government, who simply failed to provide the momentum or the funding required to keep our community safe in the long term. They left us in limbo, and I promised to change that.
“I have been working tirelessly with ministers and the Environment Agency since my election to get the scheme back on track.
“Having secured £300,000 last year and a further £405,000 today for the Caldew scheme, I won’t stop until our city finally has protection.”
Today’s announcement is part of a £1.4 billion Government investment in flood defences in 2026/27. More than 600 projects will be funded to help better protect tens of thousands of homes and businesses across England.
The total Environment Agency allocation of £603,000 for Carlisle in 2026/27 includes the following eight projects:
- Caldew Flood Risk Management Scheme Appraisal: £405,000
- Corby Weir Fish Pass Project: £101,000
- Wigton Road- Carlisle Surface Water Scheme: £40,000
- Rickerby Flood Risk Management Scheme: £17,000
- Carlisle Phase 1 Flood Risk Management Scheme: £11,000
- Low Crosby Flood Risk Management Scheme: £10,000
- Cumwhinton Flood Alleviation Scheme: £10,000
- Gosling Sike Flood Risk Management Scheme: £9,000
