Eastwood MP welcomes Government’s investment in town's flood defences
Homes and businesses in Eastwood will join thousands of others across England in benefittng from strengthened protection against flooding thanks to an £830m investment in new and upgraded flood defences, announced by the Environment Agency.
More than 600 projects will be funded in 2026-27, improving protection for 29,000 homes and businesses, and helping communities manage the growing risks of flooding and coastal erosion.
The programme includes major flood barriers, strengthened embankments, beach management work and natural flood management schemes that slow water flow upstream — all helping shield communities from the increasingly severe weather experienced in recent winters.
There will also be £300m for natural flood management over the next decade.
In Eastwood, £60,000 will be invested in the Eastwood Flood Alleviation Study, helping protect homes and key local businesses.
Eastwood MP Juliet Campbell (Lab) said: “Flooding has had devastating effects for families and businesses in Eastwood, and strengthening our local defences is absolutely essential.
"This investment from the Labour Government will make a meaningful difference - helping to protect homes, support local businesses, and our community the security they deserve.
“I will continue working closely with the Environment Agency and local partners to ensure towns and villages across Broxtowe get the resilient flood protection we need for the future.”
The funding is part of a £1.4bn investment in flood defences in 2026-27 and sits within the largest flood resilience programme in England’s history, with at least £10.5bn being invested between 2024 and 2036 to protect homes, businesses and critical infrastructure better.
The Government says the investment also marks a decisive break from years of decline in flood asset conditions that left too many communities dangerously exposed.
Emma Hardy MP (Lab), the flood minister, 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.”