Carolyn McKenzie, director of Environment at Surrey County Council, discusses how the River Thames Scheme will respond to the challenges of climate change and deliver for both residents and the environment.

Surrey County Council (SCC), the Environment Agency (EA) and local councils Runnymede, Spelthorne and Elmbridge are working together to deliver the River Thames Scheme (RTS). This is an integrated flood alleviation, green infrastructure and nature recovery project between Egham in Surrey and Teddington in Greater London that is striving for net zero and will deliver multiple benefits for residents and the environment. The RTS will reduce the flood risk for more than 11,000 homes and 1,600 businesses as well as for key infrastructure. It will create high-quality green open spaces for recreation and nature that increase biodiversity and improve connectivity for communities and wildlife. It will also deliver new green travel corridors and provide a bold and ambitious response to the dual challenges of climate change and nature recovery.

Unique collaboration

Key to the effective delivery of the RTS is a collaboration agreement (CA) between the EA and SCC. Signed in 2022, this confirms the organisations as joint promotors of what is the first flood-related scheme to be taken forward through the processes in the Planning Act 2008 and is hence a project of national significance.

The CA is the first legal agreement that enables a local council jointly to develop and deliver a major project with a national infrastructure provider. It defines governance and decision making on all aspects of the scheme, establishes a joint delivery team and defines responsibilities for the flood and green infrastructure assets created. Under the CA all decisions are taken jointly between SCC and the EA. The partnership enables efficient coordination, leverages funding and jurisdictional powers and ensures the scheme is tailored to the local context and community needs. Combining the EA’s and SCC’s skills and experience in delivering major infrastructure with their combined local knowledge of communities and stakeholders, the agreement could also be replicated by local authorities across the UK and around the world.

The RTS will create a five-mile (8km) flood alleviation channel built in two sections through the boroughs of Runnymede and Spelthorne in Surrey, as well as five miles of connective and biodiverse green corridor for wildlife and people. In addition, there will be capacity increases around the Desborough Cut (an excavated channel created in the River Thames near Shepperton in the 1930s) and the weirs at Sunbury, Molesey and Teddington. The scheme will be fundamental to achieving meaningful nature recovery in Surrey. It will be a key focal point for the county’s Nature Recovery Strategy, not only exceeding the mandatory requirement of 10% biodiversity net gain, but also creating a network of high-quality habitat that improves residents’ connections with wildlife, increases their access to high-quality green open spaces and delivers a more sustainable active travel network.

The RTS vision

The Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), published in January, refreshed the commitments and priorities for environmental protection first set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan. Natural England also recently published its Green Infrastructure Framework (NEGIF), laying down principles for greening towns and cities and connecting people with nature.

These are the latest additions to a body of policy and plans that collectively present a vision for new infrastructure designed to deliver an integrated approach to climate-resilient and sustainable land use, nature recovery and improvements to health and wellbeing.

The RTS is putting this vision into action; creating a natural capital landscape and nature-based solution to deliver green and blue infrastructure with multiple benefits for people, business and the environment while forging a new approach to climate adaptation.

The scheme is currently preparing an application for development consent under the processes in the Planning Act 2008. Such consents are a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach to development and incorporate a wide range of other consents such as compulsory purchase orders, listed building consent and planning permission. The eventual consent is called a Development Consent Order and is a statutory instrument.

As part of the process, the scheme recently ran a successful consultation with communities and stakeholders to share its plans. The team spoke to more than 1,200 people via 10 face-to-face exhibition events and seven virtual events.

It received more than 400 consultation responses which have now been evaluated by RTS technical experts and are helping to inform ongoing planning activity. Another consultation is scheduled for the coming winter. In addition, the RTS will shortly begin the selection of a construction partner, via an open market tender process.

A lasting legacy

The RTS is a unique, integrated green and blue infrastructure project that responds to current environmental policies and initiatives while translating those ambitions into the specific needs and aspirations of the local community.

It will create new green spaces where people can connect with nature while boosting their physical and mental health. It will bring additional habitat for wildlife, increase biodiversity and support active lifestyles and sustainable travel by enhancing the existing network of footpaths and cycleways.

The enduring legacy of the scheme will be a major infrastructure project that, in addition to flood protection, delivers five miles of high quality, biodiverse and connected green and blue corridor while securing multiple benefits for the environment, residents and the economy.

Carolyn McKenzie is the director for Environment at Surrey County Council.