River Thames Scheme
Detail of outcome
The River Thames Scheme (RTS) carried out statutory consultation from 22 January to 4 March 2024.
Since the non-statutory consultation in 2022, the scheme has significantly advanced, shaped by feedback and ongoing engagement with local communities and other key stakeholders.
The RTS held:
- 11 in-person events around the scheme area
- 5 virtual events, which were attended by over 2,700 people
Main information that was presented at statutory consultation included:
- channel design, downstream improvement measures, and impact on flood risk
- landscape and green infrastructure design, including the active travel route and habitat creation areas
- construction principles, including the approach to managing materials and waste during construction
- preliminary assessment of the environmental effects of the scheme
The consultation materials included a:
- feedback form that respondents could complete online
- paper format to give feedback on the information provided at statutory consultation
All feedback received during the consultation has now been reviewed. This feedback will be used to produce a consultation report, which will summarise the findings.
The report will be submitted as part of our Development Consent Order (DCO) application in mid - 2025.
Following submission, the report will be available to the public.
Meanwhile, you can read the Statutory Consultation Summary Report which presents the feedback received from the closed questions. It also summarises the responses to the open questions.
The River Thames Scheme (RTS) has published findings from its second public consultation.
The consultation ran between 8 November and 20 December 2022. It included:
- 10 public information events
- 7 online virtual events
The River Thames Scheme asked residents in the area for feedback on a range of topics.
We received 485 responses to the consultation:
- 447 were via questionnaire
- 38 were via email or letter
The responses will be used to develop the design of the scheme.
Key highlights
Respondents generally revealed a strong interest in access-related matters. This included access to the river and new green spaces for activities, such as walking, cycling and water-based recreation.
Respondents raised issues relating to technical aspects of the scheme, such as:
- reduction of flood risk
- improvement of flood flow
- dredging
- reducing road construction traffic and general disruption
- impacts on river users
Most respondents supported the idea of lowering the riverbed near Desborough Cut.
Respondents ranked in order their preferences for:
- access to green spaces
- connection to wildlife
- a more sustainable travel network
Most respondents viewed access to new green spaces as most important. Connection to wildlife second.
Read the full consultation report: https://www.riverthamesscheme.org.uk/consultation
A further public consultation is planned for late 2023.
Original consultation
Consultation description
The River Thames Scheme is designed to unlock the economic, health and environmental benefits of the river between Egham and Teddington.
It will:
- respond to the challenges of flooding
- provide access to green open spaces and sustainable travel routes
- encourage inclusive economic growth
- increase biodiversity
Each element of the River Thames Scheme will work together to deliver benefits for communities to help them live more sustainably.
A new flood channel will:
- reduce the risk of flooding to homes, businesses, and infrastructure
- provide a habitat for wildlife and a new feature in the landscape
The channel will be flanked by new areas of public green open space, for recreation and spending time with nature.
New footpaths and cycleways will run along the channel and through the new public spaces. These will link different elements of the scheme with communities and providing better connections within and across the area.
Areas of new and improved habitat for wildlife will connect with existing nature sites and wildlife corridors to further support biodiversity.
It is the first flood and climate mitigation project which is described as nationally significant, reflecting the scope and ambition of the scheme.
The Environment Agency and Surrey County Council are working together to deliver the River Thames Scheme in partnership with other local authorities and interested parties.
Visit our consultation page to read more about the scheme.
Events
There will be events running throughout the consultation period. This is your opportunity to ask our project team any questions you have about the scheme. You can see a full list on the events page.
Questionnaire
You can provide feedback by completing our online questionnaire.
All responses should be received by Tuesday 20 December 2022. Any responses received after this date may not be considered as part of the consultation process.
Contact
Get in touch with us using our Contact form if you have any questions about the River Thames Scheme or the consultation process.
Updates to this page
Last updated
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Added update on the statutory consultation held from 22 January to 4 March 2024.
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Information about the final outcome including publication of the final report
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Update with number of responses received and details of when the final report will be published
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First published.
Update history
2024-10-15 13:34
Added update on the statutory consultation held from 22 January to 4 March 2024.
2023-06-27 15:51
Information about the final outcome including publication of the final report
2023-03-21 11:56
Update with number of responses received and details of when the final report will be published
2022-11-09 16:58
First published.