FLOOD defence works to protect Weymouth from the sea have been agreed by councillors, subject to funding availability.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council is now chasing funding to get the first phase of the works under way.

Councillors were told that if the existing flood defences are not maintained or improved then by the year 2065 there will be more than 1,600 properties at risk of flooding, rising to more than 2,000 by 2115.

But there is warning that even with new flood defences, there is still a one-in-200 chance that the town may flood, and it could possibly flood more than once a year.

At present there are more than 338 properties in Weymouth town centre at risk of flooding from a one in 200 year tide event .

The borough council’s management committee discussed the preferred engineering option for the harbour and Esplanade from the Flood Risk Management Strategy study, which suggested the combination of three elements.

These are a tidal barrier to be constructed in the harbour on the seaward side of the Town Bridge, maintaining the harbour walls to the existing standard of flood protection, as well as a flood wall constructed along the Esplanade with the promenade raised.

Committee chairman Cllr Ian Bruce, said: “We have a wonderful coastline and we should be seeing what we can do to secure it.”

The Environment Agency said its position would be to contribute 20 per cent of the costs, leaving the council with a shortfall of more than £55 million which needs to be found over the next 100 years.

Neil Watson, from the Environment Agency, said: “We have been coming to Weymouth for about seven or eight years talking about the issue of flooding.

"It is inevitable that there will be a serious risk of flooding unless something is put in place.

“The sea walls have been very effective and have bought us some time.”

Cllr Ian Roebuck said: “The Environment Agency has a funding plan.

"Our next job is to make sure the money is there.”
Cllr Mike Byatt said: “We all recognise that this is quite a critical issue for us.

"We need to come together and be very clear on how we are going to proceed with this.

"At some point we need to be engaging with the county council.

"We also need to think about how to marry development with defence.

“I would recommend setting up a working group of community members to oversee this because it is critical.

"I would recommend Ian Roebuck, Jeff Cant and myself.”

Cllr Andy Blackwood raised concerns of starting flood protection for the town without knowing if it can be completed.

He said: “We are risking starting a project that we cannot actually finish; 50 or 60 years down the line someone is going to say 'that’s all we can do' and we will have some defence.”

Mayor Christine James suggested the council could go back to the Environment Agency in a few years, asking it to up the percentage of funding.