THE Environment Agency (EA) is to hold workshops with selected partners and stakeholders to review the challegenging aspects of the Tenbury Wells Flood Risk Management Scheme (FRMS).

The town regularly gets hit by severe flooding, such as what was experienced in 2020.

However, last April, Tenbury MP Harriet Baldwin said she was confident that a scheme that would prevent future flooding could go ahead after extra funding was found.

Ms Baldwin met with Ministers to press for the extra cash, meaning that the total cost of the scheme would be close to £8 million. 

In its latest newsletter, the EA said that, once a preferred option had been selected for all areas of the scehe through the workshops, it can resume work on the planning application. 

"There are several challenging areas across the scheme, including St Mary’s Church, B4204 Bridge, Temeside House and Teme Bridge," it reads.

"We are currently scheduling workshops with key partners and stakeholders to review these key areas. These workshops will consider design complexities, buildability and potential impacts during construction.

"As well as the workshops, we will continue to engage with individual stakeholders to work through other challenging aspects of the scheme."

The EA added that is also undertaking a detailed project cost assessment. This, it said, will allow it to understand how design development has influenced whole project costs and the impact of rising material prices.

"Outcomes from the workshops will have cost implications, which will need to be considered as part of this process," said the EA.

The Tenbury Wells FRMS is one of two water management schemes currently being developed through funding secured by the River Severn Partnership (RSP). 

The RSP was chosen by Ministers as one of 4 pilots, and allocated funding to assess a range of climate change scenarios and identify the decisions that need to be taken now, and those that may need to be taken in the future, to manage the risk of flooding and coastal change along the length of the River Severn. 

For more information about the scheme or to receive regular newsletters, call 03708 506 506 or email Tenbury.FRMS@environment-agency.gov.uk