Today, Greg was delighted to learn that under the Natural Flood Management Programme, which distributed £25million in funding to flood prevention works, the High Weald AONB Project (Alder Stream) which will install flood resilience in the Alder Stream’s upper catchment area is one of the forty successful applications.

The project, which has the support of the Environment Agency, will work to expand on the previous works done on the floodplain, enable floodplain inundation in the Alder Stream’s upper catchment and install leaky wooden dams. This work will reduce the chance and impact of flooding at Capel and downstream at Five Oak Green. The proposal includes additional benefits such as biodiversity and nature recovery as well as respecting the distinctive features of the local landscape.

Having previously visited Alder Stream to inspect the flood defences and the vital work done by South East Rivers Trust (SERT), Greg is delighted that this new project has been given the go-ahead.