The Environment Agency has published a summary report showing the progress made towards achieving flood and coastal erosion risk management outcome measures in England  for the period January 2014 to March 2014 - including whole life cost benefits of £4,445M against whole life costs of £368M.

The progress report is for FCRM outcomes over the Spending Review 2010 period, covering delivery between April 2011 and March 2015 in England by the Environment Agency, Local Authorities and Internal Drainage Boards.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs sets outcome measures to make sure the Environment Agency and other risk management authorities achieve the aims of government FCERM policy. The Environment Agency uses outcome measures to inform its decisions about where to invest FCERM grant in aid.

There are 6 outcome measures in the report that cover:

• cost benefit of FCERM work
• households with reduced risk from river and sea flooding as a result of FCERM work
• households with reduced risk from coastal erosion as a result of FCERM work
• areas of habitat created that contribute to Water Framework Directive targets
• households that receive the Floodline Warnings Direct service
• proportion of residential units where the planning application has been refused

Whole life cost benefits of £4,445M against whole life costs of £368M

On the cost benefit of FCERM work, the report says that schemes completed in the 2013/14 financial year have contributed whole life benefits(including beyond Spending Review Period) of £4,445M against whole life costs of £368M, a benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 12.1:1. Taking into account other capital expenditure on items including flood incident management and coastal monitoringthe benefit cost ratio of the Agency’s  programme as a whole is 9.5 to 1. The measure is used to demonstrate that the Agency continues to develop projects that deliver significant economic benefits over their lives, and therefore represent value for money for the taxpayer. It measures the ratio of the benefits to costs from all projects in the Agency’s capital investment programme, where the benefits are measured against a 'do nothing' scenario.

On outcomes for households with reduced risk of flooding or coastal erosion as a result of FCERM work, the Agency says that during 2013/14 36,031 households have benefited from improved protection from flooding. Of these, 24,733 were at significant risk and 8,810 of these were in the 20% most deprived areas. Large schemes completed include beach nourishment scheme at Lincshore, Pevensey Bay Sea Defences and Teal Bay Shingle Migration, Morecambe. The latest forecast data shows that working with partners the Agency expects to provide improved protection to around 155,600 households by March 2015, which is in excess of its stretch target.

During 2013/14 4,518 households have benefited from reduced risk of coastal erosion, with 735 of these protected from loss within 20 years and 195 of these in the 20% most deprived areas. Large schemes completed this year include Eastoke Point (Hayling Island), Shoreham Lancing Beach Management and Hythe to Folkestone Beach Management. The latest forecast data shows that working with partners the Agency expects to provide reduced risk of coastal erosion to around 11,000 households by March 2015.

On areas of habitat created that contribute to Water Framework Directive targets, working with partners during 2013/14 the Agency created or improved 434hectares of water dependant habitat taking the total to dateto 5,265 hectares. With the completion of the Medmerry project,223 hectares of intertidal habitat have been created thisyear, taking the total so far to 248 hectares. The Agency has also improved 5km of protected rivers taking the total to 21.7km.

Latest forecast data shows that the Agency is expecting  to achieve the target of 400 hectares ‐ the majority of the remaining hectares will be delivered by Steart (237Ha). The Steart Coastal Management Project, one of the largest managed realignment and habitat creation schemes ever carried out in the UK, has been completed and opened to the sea for the first time.

The Agency has scored a significant success on the proportion of residential units where the planning application has been refused – indicating that the impact of planning developments on flood plains or at risk of flooding is being given more weight by planning authorities. The measure monitors the amount of inappropriate development allowed within applications at flood risk. During quarter 3, 99.8% of residential units within planning applications where the Environment Agency raised an objection wererefused or amended in line with its advice.

The outcome measures have been in use since 2011 – unlike the previous suite, the revised measures do not have specific targets. However, the Agency has set targets internally as part of its Corporate Plan, which has been approved by ministers. 

The Agency has produced the report using information from its own staff and other risk management authorities to describe the extensive work undertaken by all risk management authorities. It also includes how lead local flood authorities have progressed on their local strategies and asset registers.

The Agency is required to produce the reports on an annual basis under section 18 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and the National FCERM Strategy for England.

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