Camden continues to make significant progress in flood risk management
During London Flood Awareness Week 2024, Camden Council has published its first review of the Camden Flood Risk Management Strategy 2022-2027, reporting on its significant progress toward enhancing flood risk management in the borough.
In the past few years in Camden we have experienced more frequent instances of flash flooding, yet another reminder of the reality of the Climate Emergency.
We expect to see increased rainfall in the years to come. While we cannot prevent flooding from happening entirely, we will do everything we can to reduce it.
In the two years since publishing our Flood Risk Management Strategy, we have made good progress toward enhancing flood risk management in Camden, and we will continue to do what we can to green up our streets, introduce Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to help mitigate periods of heavy rainfall, and also press hard for the Thames Water part of the sewer network to expand to cope with more frequent large storm events.
Our Flood Risk Management Strategy 2022-2027 (FRMS) sets out 37 measures relating to the delivery of flood risk alleviation projects, flood preparedness, response and asset management and monitoring and review. Of these, five have been achieved, two partly achieved, 28 are on track, one is in development and one measure is not yet achieved.
Examples of the progress achieved include:
- An innovative and award-winning SuDS on Parliament Hill, which saw the installation combined with gas mains replacement works in collaboration with Cadent Gas, minimising disruption for residents and people travelling through the area.
- In Somers Town, several schemes have been installed, designed to absorb surface water, such as rain gardens in Levita House and greening on Phoenix Road.
- In South Hampstead, we installed SuDS across Priory Terrace, Belsize Road and Priory Road, and another on Goldhurst Terrace, and were awarded funding for a second phase of work on Goldhurst Terrace.
- We have increased our collaboration with residents on flood risk management, including with the South Hampstead Flood Action Group, which oversees a Community Flood Plan focusing on infrastructure improvements and awareness raising.
Councillor Harrison continued:
“More broadly to tackle these issues, we must cut carbon generated in the borough, meaning decarbonising travel, enabling people to get around Camden more easily by walking, cycling and public transport; retrofitting our buildings and move towards a circular economy in which we use less material, and reuse and repair what we do use.
“We must also help our communities prepare for more extreme weather and support our residents when they are affected. Increasing the borough’s resilience to extremes of the weather and keeping Camden residents safe is a top priority as we learn to adapt to the changes in climate as well as seeking to slow them.”