Flood defence scheme costing £42m opened

An upgraded flood defence scheme, designed to reduce the risk to 1,870 homes and 575 businesses has been officially opened by the Environment Agency (EA).

The scheme, between Tonbridge and Hildenborough, cost £42m and will also benefit communities further downstream on the River Medway.

The EA said it will help communities respond to the growing challenge posed by climate change, with increased likelihood of more frequent severe storms and extremely wet winters.

It added the capacity of the Leigh Flood Storage Area has now been increased by 23%, so it can now hold approximately 7.4m cubic metres of floodwater - equivalent to around 2,880 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The original Leigh Flood Storage Area was completed in 1982 and has since played a vital role in protecting downstream communities and was operated 75 times between 1981 and summer 2026 to reduce flood risk.

The construction project has taken three years with the existing flood storage area remaining fully operational while the works took place.

An eel pass has been constructed so that eels, a protected species, can navigate their way through.

The expanded storage area works alongside new defences in Hildenborough, where a significant source of flood risk is the River Medway backing up into the Hawden Stream.

The Hildenborough scheme includes a 98m (321ft) embankment across the floodplain, a new pumping station on the Hawden Stream, and a sheet-piled wall.

Approximately 180 Hildenborough homes affected by flooding in 2013 along with many others will benefit directly from the new embankment and pumping station. Other properties will benefit from the additional capacity provided at Leigh.

Simon Curd, flood risk manager at the Environment Agency, said: "This is a major investment in the safety and resilience of communities along the River Medway.

"The original Leigh Flood Storage Area has protected Tonbridge and Hildenborough for more than 40 years, but climate change means we must be prepared for more severe storms and wetter winters."

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