Updated: Updated to reflect publication of the independent report by the Expert Finance Working Group on Small Reactors.
The advanced nuclear sector has the potential to play an important part in the UK’s Industrial Strategy building on our existing economic strengths and competitive advantages in nuclear whilst shaping new advanced nuclear markets and contributing to tackling the Clean Growth Grand Challenge.
The Medway Flood Partnership has today launched the Medway Flood Action Plan, outlining how it will reduce the risk of flooding to 9,000 properties in communities along the River Medway in Kent.
The plan is owned by the Medway Flood Partnership and outlines how the members will work with communities to manage the risk of in the Medway catchment. This covers all land draining into the Rivers Medway, Beult, Teise, Bourne and Eden, as well their tributaries. During the December 2013 flood event, over 900 homes were flooded across the Medway catchment, devastating people and livelihoods.
Over the next 5 years, at least £19 million will be invested in the Medway catchment on projects that help to manage and reduce flood risk. Measures include increasing the capacity of the Leigh Flood Storage Area and providing property-level resilience measures to homes in Yalding, Collier Street and Laddingford. The Environment Agency will be spending about £1 million each year on maintenance of river channels and flood defences such as flood walls, sluices and weirs, to ensure they remain in good condition.
Many organisations have a role in managing and responding to flooding: parish councils, local authorities, national agencies, landowner representatives and local businesses. Reducing the risk of flooding in the Medway catchment is a complex problem, which can only be solved by working in partnership.
The Medway Flood Partnership was established in January 2017 to bring these organisations together to co-ordinate these activities. We have also developed a Medway Action Plan that sets out our shared objectives and priorities for the next 5 years and a vision for the next 25 years.
Together the partnership are looking at where they can build defences to better protect communities as well as where they can slow the flow of floodwaters and reduce flood levels through natural flood management. Where it is not possible to prevent flooding, they are working with local communities to help them be better prepared and resilient to flooding so that they can recover more quickly after a flood.
Julie Foley, Environment Agency Area Manager, said:
The launch of this plan demonstrates our commitment to finding practicable solutions to manage flood risk. Over the next 5 years, fully funded schemes within the Medway Flood Action Plan will reduce the risk of flooding to over 1,700 homes along the River Medway. With our partners, we will also be exploring further opportunities for schemes that help to reduce flood risk and improve the local environment.
Matthew Balfour, Cabinet Member at Kent County Council, said:
I’m delighted that the Medway Flood Action Plan has been launched and that we can finally get to work on flood defences in the area. During the winter 2013 to 14 floods, over 900 homes and businesses in Tonbridge, Yalding, East Peckham and other smaller communities were flooded from the River Medway. We are determined to reduce the risk of flooding to these communities. This is tremendous news for those communities affected and goes to show that the hard work we have put in with our partners has helped us secure the funding and draw up a robust plan to help manage and reduce flood risk.
Organisations can apply for a share of £4 million to carry out feasibility studies into the development of nuclear advanced modular reactors.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has up to £44 million to invest in an advanced modular reactor feasibility and development programme.
Up to £4 million pound is available for projects that look into the feasibility of designing new reactors that maximise the amount of off-site building and can generate lower cost electricity and provide additional benefits.
A further £40 million could be available to develop the best projects from the first phase of the competition.
The funding is for contracts under the SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative).
The government believes nuclear energy will be an important part of the future energy mix. However, it needs to be competitive with other sources of low-carbon energy or provide additional benefits and functionality.
BEIS is looking for projects that focus on at least one of the following areas:
Our primary mission is to lead the commercial development of fusion power and related technology and position the UK as a leader in sustainable nuclear energy. Our scientists and engineers are working with partners around the globe to develop fusion as a new source of clean energy for future power stations. Working with industry and academia we are also developing opportunities to enable our expertise to be used in non-nuclear applications, with an increased technology focus. We have recently been successful in attracting significant new funding for nuclear-related technological development.
The Chair will oversee UKAEA over a period of growth and establishment of new facilities. The new Chair will also need to focus on post-Brexit implications for UKAEA. The UKAEA Board is our main decision-making body and provides collective strategic and corporate leadership to the organisation.
The post is a public appointment and more information can be found on the public appointments website
Closing date is 4 January 2018
The Environment Agency publish permits that they issue under the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED).
This decision includes the permit and decision document for: