SRA Annual Report 2023-24: Taunton Flood Action Plan
The aims of this project are to better co-ordinate the management of flood risks from all sources around Taunton and to boost investment in measures to reduce those risks.
The project is part-funded by Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) and by Wessex Water, as a partner in the SRA.
It’s led by Wessex Water and Somerset Council. Other partners involved include the Environment Agency and Network Rail.
In 2023, WSP were appointed as consultants to review the large number of existing plans, strategies, models, assessments, schemes and projects that currently relate to Taunton and water, to help identify and analyse gaps and problems, and to help produce costed recommendations for action.
Flooding hotspots that partners began to study in detail during 2023-24 for this project included parts of:
- Norton Fitzwarren West
- Norton Fitzwarren East
- Kingston St Mary
- Trull and Staplehay
- Taunton railway station
- North Town and Firepool
- Sherford Stream and Vivary Park
- Cheddon Fitzpaine
- Bathpool South
- Creech St Michael North
- Creech St Michael South
- Ruishton
Other areas on a watchlist for initial investigations were:
- Bishops Hull
- Blackbrook West
- Blackbrook East
- Henlade
- Stoke St Mary
The SRA agreed to part-fund this project because it wanted, in line with its remit, to open up new ways for people to work together, get more funding and spend it efficiently on local priorities. The project team are aiming to complete their work by March 2025.