Last chance to have a say on priority areas to tackle flood risk in West Sussex

West Sussex County Council has named 25 priority areas where action is most needed to prevent flooding.
Priority areas for flood risk in West SussexPriority areas for flood risk in West Sussex
Priority areas for flood risk in West Sussex

During a scrutiny meeting on Thursday (September 30), members were given an update on the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy 2021-26, which has reached the end of its public consultation.

The strategy – which sets out how flooding in the county is managed and defines the roles and responsibilities of public bodies and private owners – said the council’s main focus would be on the 25 areas that are most at risk of flooding. 

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The areas, in order of priority, are: East Preston, Southwater, Easebourne, Washington, Shoreham & Southwick, Lancing, Linchmere, Crawley, Billingshurst, Lindfield, Itchingfield, Worthing, Haywards Heath, Hassocks, Littlehampton, Westbourne, Findon, Burgess Hill, Steyning, Angmering, Worth, Horsham, Rustington, Sompting and Chichester.

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These are 25 West Sussex priority areas most at risk of surface water flooding

A report to the meeting said setting priorities did not mean funding was available or agreed.

It also didn’t mean important work would not be carried out elsewhere but that ‘priorities will be reviewed as progress is made’.

The strategy includes an action plan which showed work which organisations such as the various councils and Southern Water should carry out.

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This ranged from improving awareness of managing local flooding by using natural processes to exploring the feasibility of diverting rooftop drainage from waterfront developments over the sea walls.

The report said: “It is the principal aim of this strategy to oversee the direct reduction in local flood risk for residents and to make communities more resilient to future flood risk.

“These aims will be met by the projects that are taken forward in future work programmes, and by the actions set out in the action plan.

“Investigations, new information, changing budgets and contributions, and subsequent flood events will alter what happens over the lifetime of the strategy, and minor changes may be made to the documents including the flood maps.

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“Regular reviews of progress against the action plan will be conducted so that we can monitor the flood risk situation and adjust priorities, as necessary.”

The consultation closes at midnight (September 30).

To take part, log on to yourvoice.westsussex.gov.uk/local-flood-risk-management-strategy-consultation