Infrastructure plan to see £8bn for flood defence work with strategy to include focus on UK workers

Almost £8bn will be spent on flood defences as part of the government’s 10-year infrastructure strategy, due to be published this week with Number 10 also asking firms to show how they would use UK-based subcontractors and labour when bidding for work under the wider £750bn package set to be up for grabs.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs claimed the funding package, worth £7.9bn, was the largest flood programme in history.

It will include a range of measures from high-performance flood barriers to nature-based solutions.

The Spending Review last Wednesday confirmed that £4.2 billion will be spent on the flood programme over the next three years (2026/7 to 2028/9), focused on both capital and resources such as building new defences and repairing and maintaining existing ones.

Environment secretary Steve Reed said: “Protecting citizens is the first duty of any Government. Yet we inherited crumbling flood defences in their worst condition on record – exposing thousands of homes.“

Ahead of the £750bn strategy’s launch, the government also revealed that it would include a structures fund worth £1bn to enhance and repair road infrastructure, as well as £590m to take forward the Lower Thames Crossing.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden also revealed that public procurement rules would be overhauled, with companies requiring to show they can create opportunity and growth locally when bidding. 

McFadden, said: “Whether it’s building roads, railways or schools, we want to open up opportunities on major infrastructure projects for firms that boost British jobs and skills.”

Under the changes proposed in the consultation, public bodies would have to give more weight to firms that can show they will boost British jobs and skills in their bids for contracts.

Responding to the plans to fund flood defences, Russell Garnett, head of environmental consultancy at Hollis, said: “It is critical that this goes towards maintaining existing defences, not just building new ones.

“Equally important is making the right changes. You can put up all the barriers you want but if don’t fully understand each specific asset and changing flood risk, it’s just money down the drain.”