MAP: £50m flood schemes to protect homes in the South West postponed, but others get go-ahead

Construction will begin this year on seven major Westcountry flood defence schemes to protect thousands of properties – but vital regional schemes to safeguard 2,500 homes have been shelved for five years.

The Government also yesterday confirmed the go-ahead for £26 million of flood protection in Exeter, seen as the most important project in the Westcountry, with work beginning in mid-2014.

Meanwhile, flood resistance in Redruth, Barnstaple and five other locations in the region is to be shored up this year, protecting 3,700 homes, ministers said while announcing £294 million would be spent on defences nationally this year.

Labour criticised the Government, claiming less is being spent this year than in 2008, blaming cuts for 63 Devon and Cornwall schemes being delayed until after 2018.

But the Department for the Environment (Defra) said it would be spending more over five years.

The cash comes as communities across Devon and Cornwall have been battered by flooding in recent months.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson gave 93 schemes the green light to build this year, bringing "huge relief to tens of thousands of homes and businesses that have lived with the fear of flood waters hitting their doors".

As deluges hit last year, the Treasury promised an extra £120 million from April to get more schemes built. The injection has helped deliver the long-awaited Exeter scheme. The project, expected to be complete by late 2017, will create 1,000 jobs, protect businesses employing 4,700 staff and safeguard 2,000 homes.

Devon County Council and Exeter City Council have committed £3 million each on top of £14 million of state funding already in place. The deal-breaker was £6 million extra from Whitehall. Floods split the city in 1960 and ageing defences have not been upgraded in more than 30 years.

Exeter City Council leader Pete Edwards said: "After recent events we all know that a major flood could be just around the corner and that is something Exeter needs to prepare for."

Seven regional schemes will start this year:

The £8.6 million Dawlish Warren and Exmouth beach management scheme will reduce flood risk to 2,881 homes, businesses and the peninsula's main railway line.

£3.7 million will be spent on 355 properties and businesses in Devon and Cornwall hit by floods last year.

£3 million will be invested at the former Redruth brewery quarter to protect 28 properties and clear the path for regeneration.

The other four schemes are at Barnstaple's Rolle Quay, Whimple near Exeter and Marsh Mills and Millbay in Plymouth.

The Environment Agency has indicated a further 42 flood schemes across Devon and Cornwall will get cash from this year and for five years. Some £25 million will be spent in the South West in total this year. However, 63 proposed schemes will "not proceed" until after 2018 – defences totalling £50 million and protecting 2,500 homes.

Mary Creagh, Labour's Shadow Environment Secretary said: "Flooding is the biggest threat the UK faces from climate change, yet the Government will spend less on flood defences next year than Labour invested in 2008. Every £1 invested in flood defences saves £8 later and prevents untold human misery."

A Defra spokesman said the schemes on the blocks until 2018 are either still in developmental stage or as yet do not deliver value for money, but "may be able to proceed from next year" if costs can be reduced.

She added: "We've transformed the system to make clear how much Government money would be available for a flood defence scheme, if costs can be reduced or other funding found to meet the difference. We expect that 25% more flood defences will go ahead thanks to this partnership funding approach."

Flood defence schemes ‘not proceeding’ before 2018-19

CORNWALL

Launceston Newport Flood Alleviation Scheme

Barripper flow distribution improvement scheme

Carbis Bay – St Margaret’s Hotel Culvert Refurbishment

Cawsand Fluvial Flood Alleviation Scheme

Crackington Haven Flood Alleviation Scheme

Falmouth Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme

Fowey Flood Alleviation Scheme

Gilberts Coombe Flood Alleviation Scheme

Gunnislake Drakewalls Stream Flood Alleviation Scheme

Hayle Foundry Square Flood Alleviation Scheme

Hayle River flood banks refurbishment

Heamoor Chyandour Stream Flood Defence Scheme

Kingsand Fluvial Flood Alleviation Scheme

Kingsand Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme

Looe Flood Alleviation Scheme

Lostwithiel River Fowey Flood Alleviation Scheme

Lostwithiel Tanhouse Stream Flood Alleviation Scheme

Mevagissey Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme

Mevagissey Fluvial Flood Alleviation Scheme

Millbrook Banks Flood Alleviation Scheme

Newlyn Fluvial Flood Alleviation Scheme

Newlyn Fluvial Flood Alleviation Scheme

Par Moor Diversion Culvert Scheme

Penryn tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme

Penzance Wherrytown and Harbour Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme

Portreath Flood Alleviation Scheme

Saltash Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme

St Mawes Tidal Flood Alleviation Scheme

Tredenham Close pumping station and drainage improvements

Wadebridge flood defence improvements

Wadebridge sheet pile wall refurbishment

White River flood defence re-alignment

Crooklets Beach Sea Defence Refurbishment

Downderry Coast Protection Works Phase 2

Halzephron Coastal Adaptation Works

Kingsand Coast Protection Works

Long Rock Revetment Extension East

Long Rock Revetment Extension West

Mevagissey Harbour Victoria Pier Refurbishment

Penzance Promenade Refurbishment

Porthleven Harbour Walls Refurbishment

Praa Sands Coast Defence Works Phase Two

St Ives Wharf Road Sea Wall Improvements – Option 1 Raise Sea Wall

St Ives Wharf Road Sea Wall Improvements – Option 2 Individual Property Protection

St Mawes Sea Wall Refurbishment

DEVON

River Plym Improvements Project

Alfington Individual Property Protection Scheme

Fenny Bridges Flood Alleviation Scheme

Old Feniton Village Flood Alleviation Scheme

Exeter Red Cow Flood Alleviation Scheme

Camels Head Wolseley Road carriageway reprofiling

Embankment Road by Haywoods pumping and attenuation improvements

Keyham, Saltash Road surface water capacity improvements

Plymouth Barbican Phoenix Wharf renovation

Plymouth Marshall Road Culvert renewal/relining

Plymouth The Cattewater Teats Hill slipway refurbishment

Plymouth The Sound Jennycliff cliff stabilisation

Plymouth The Sound, West Hoe Pier renovation

Plympton Drunken Bridge Hill additional highway drainage

Plymstock Alexandra Close surface water flood protection

Plymstock Vinery Lane additional highway drainage

Hope Cove – Implementation of Catchment Study recommendations

Broadsands Sea Wall Structural Repairs