ROOF Blog

More than 900,000 homes and businesses in England and Wales could be at the highest risk of flooding by 2035 without increasing investment in defences, the Environment Agency has warned.

The agency said the number of properties at the highest risk of inundation could rise by 60 per cent from current figures of 560,000, as it outlined a new five-year strategy, including plans to protect an extra 200,000 homes and businesses from flood waters.

The agency said that in the past five years, 156,000 properties had been protected against flooding.

Chief executive Paul Leinster said: ‘Less waste is going to landfill, more properties are protected against flooding, pollution incidents have halved since 2000 and there are more fish and wildlife in lakes and rivers.’

But he warned: ‘Climate change is already affecting the UK and the challenges we face as a result are only going to get tougher and more properties could be at increased flood risk.’