Government Funding Announced For Yorkshire Coast Flood Defences

Homes and businesses across the Yorkshire Coast will benefit from a multi-million-pound government investment in local flood defences and coastal erosion schemes.

Several vital projects across the Yorkshire Coast have been identified for government funding in the 2026/27 period to combat coastal erosion, sea flooding, and river flooding.

In Scarborough, the North Bay Urgent Wall Improvements Phase 2 will receive £541,000. The capital maintenance project, led by North Yorkshire Council, is designed to tackle coastal erosion.

Also in Scarborough, £40,000 has been allocated for the Church Beck river flooding defence scheme, which will be managed by the Environment Agency.

Additionally, North Yorkshire Council will lead the Scarborough South Bay Beach Management project for 2021 to 2027, receiving £16,000 to defend against sea flooding.

Further south, in the Bridlington and the Wolds constituency, the Hornsea Mere Water Level and Quality Scheme has been awarded £263,000. Led by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, this defence project aims to mitigate surface water flooding.

Finally, the Barmston Sea End Outfall project, also in the Bridlington and the Wolds area, will receive £3,000. The Environment Agency is overseeing this capital maintenance scheme to address river flooding.

The local funding forms part of a wider £1.4 billion national investment in flood defences for 2026/27, which includes more than 600 projects across England.

Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume said:

"Tens of thousands of homes and businesses, including many across our area, will benefit from improved protection from flooding following a £830 million funding injection for flood schemes for 2026/27.

"£300 million will be spent managing, maintaining and repairing Environment Agency assets, including those damaged by Storms Goretti and Chandra.

"With extreme weather events becoming more common, action needed to be taken after the Government inherited the worst flood defences on record. For every £1 invested in flood schemes at least £6 worth of economic damage is avoided.

"The schemes identified in Scarborough are Church Beck, North Bay urgent wall improvements, phase two, and Scarborough South Bay beach management.

"In October, Labour introduced a new simplified funding formula to replace the outdated, complex system last updated in 2011.

"All prioritised flood projects costing £3 million or less will now receive 100 percent government funding, removing the need for local authorities to raise contributions for these schemes.

"For those valued above £3 million, Government will fund the first £3 million in full, and then cover 90 percent of any remaining costs."

Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

"Flooding can turn lives upside down in a matter of hours, destroying homes, shutting down businesses and leaving communities facing months of heartbreak and recovery.

"This £1.4 billion investment will help protect tens of thousands of homes and businesses across the country and strengthen the defences families rely on when the worst happens.

"We've already stepped in to stabilise our flood assets after years of decline and this funding goes further, creating thousands of jobs, protecting communities from billions of pounds of damage, and unlocking new homes and businesses in places made safer from flooding."

Environment Agency Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management Caroline Douglass said:

"This investment allows the Environment Agency and our partners to continue our work needed to protect communities from flooding.

"In partnership with local authorities, homes and businesses will benefit from stronger defences with more than 600 schemes being delivered across England.

"From major flood barriers and strengthened embankments to natural flood management and coastal defence projects, we're combining engineering and nature-based solutions to reduce flood risk and build long-term resilience for communities across the country."