Southampton's flood defence plans mapped out

Council chiefs are working in coordination with the Environment Agency to produce a blueprint that will safeguard the city for the next 100 years.

After recent chaos in certain parts of the region following extreme rainfall, Southampton city councillors are aware that this could be a sign of things to come, with climate change and a rise in sea levels projected over the next few decades.

That is why they have commissioned a survey by the Environment Agency to identify which areas are most vulnerable and what needs to be done to protect them.

The council is yet to rule out any particular defence strategies, with various options available, including pumps, the erecting of coastal walls, raising land and constructing buildings that sit higher above sea level.

Rob Crighton, sustainability team leader at Southampton City Council, told the Daily Echo: “There are many options to consider, but we are fortunate in that we have time to get our act together. There is currently a pretty small risk of flooding in Southampton.

“In the next 20 years the risk will increase a little bit, but we are looking 50 to 100 years ahead, when sea levels could rise by half a metre in general and areas that flood now will be flooding more regularly and more severely.”

The areas most at risk will be those surrounding the River Itchen and Southampton docks, but Rob also believes the heart of the city centre – including developments in and around the West Quay area – will need to be expanded in a more floodproof manner.

The council will also investigate the city’s road, drainage and sewage network across the city.

Because of the the enormity of the project it is impossible to put a cost on it at this stage, said Mr Crighton. “Once the Environment Agency has done the survey we can start thinking about what needs to be done and how much it may cost. Hopefully we should have a clearer idea about that mid-way through next year.”