Government aid for flood defences

LOOE STRIVES TO PROTECT COMMUNITY

- OLIVIER VERGNAULT

A PLAN to protect one of the most flood-prone coastal towns in Cornwall for the next 100 years is a step closer to becoming a reality.

According to the Cornwall Development Company, almost two in three businesses in Looe are regularly flooded, with flooding costing the local economy £39 million between 2012 and 2017.

Climate scientists predict that, with sea levels rising in the coming decades, most of the town will end up in a flood zone. If their predictions are correct, the flooding area could increase sixfold from 2.5 hectares to 16 hectares, meaning more homes and more businesses in Looe could find themselves underwater on storm and high water days. This could see the local GP surgery, police station, main food stores, and cafés, as well as the fish market and potentially the fire station, at risk of flooding. The extended flood zone would also include key transport links such as the A387, and the town's railway station.