Flood Capital Programme

Milton Keynes City Council (MKCC) as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) is responsible for managing flood risk from ordinary watercourses (outside of the Internal Drainage Board (IDB) areas), as well as surface water and groundwater as per the requirements of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

Most of the funding for flood and coastal erosion management is through grants from Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) to the Environment Agency (EA). In accordance with Defra policy, Flood and Water Management Team (FWMT) acting as the LLFA has been working on several schemes for which we can apply for grant for capital investment from the EA to create new or improved flood risk management infrastructure (with schemes being at different stages of delivery).

In addition to delivering flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) projects, officers are also working on delivery of flood mitigation and prevention measures that will benefit from other sources of funding such as Tariff. 

MKCC has worked closely with the Environment Agency and has expedited the delivery of Outline Business Cases (OBC) for application of capital funding for Flood Alleviation Schemes to be delivered in areas affected by flooding events.

Lavendon Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS)

The new hydraulic model developed in the feasibility study improved our understanding of flood risk and mechanisms in Lavendon. In total ten interventions were modelled in the ‘do something option’ covering five key flood risk areas of Lavendon: New Row, Northampton Road, Castle Road, Olney Road and Harold Road. As part of review of the Lavendon Options Viability report it has been noted that funding justification for the full suite of preferred options identified across the town being difficult to achieve due to there being a funding gap.

Additional review was undertaken to review each sub catchments benefits and costs and currently the Harold Road parts of the scheme do not look cost beneficial and would not qualify for funding under current funding rules. The interventions that we will be exploring further as part of the outline business case development and which were considered as part of funding allocation include the following solutions: 

• Proposed flood storage areas (New Row, Castle Road)
• Regrading land and surfaces (New Row)
• Surface regrading (Northampton Road/New Row)
• Attenuation/storage tanks beneath parking area (New Row)
• Targeted gullies interventions (Olney Road, Northampton Road)
• Earth embankment/bund (Castle Road).

The options for Harold Road reviewed as part of the feasibility study (flood storage areas on Harold Road and high containment curbs with targeted gullies on Harold Road) do not currently look cost beneficial and cannot form a part of the scheme. As part of the outline business case preparation, the hydraulic modelling will be updated based on the latest data as well as economic appraisal to ensure all cost beneficial options are included in the final outline business case.

Please see the Delegated Decisions report for more information: Agenda for Delegated Decisions on Tuesday 20th January, 2026, 6.00 pm | Milton Keynes City Council

Estimated timescales of Lavendon FAS scheme delivery:

• Options appraisal – Apr–Jul 2026
• Hydraulic modelling – Apr–Jul 2026
• Outline design & site visits – Apr–Jun 2026
• Environmental & carbon assessments – Apr–Jul 2026
• Economic assessment – Jun–Jul 2026
• Outline Business Case approval – Aug–Oct 2026
• Procurement and enabling surveys – Q4 2026-Q1 2027
• Construction (indicative) – Q4 2026-Q2 2028

Rural Areas Property Flood Resilience (PFR) scheme

Following flooding events in Rural areas and subsequent Section 19 investigations, the feasibility study (‘Feasibility Package 1’) was delivered covering the areas of Ravenstone, Stoke Goldington, and Tathall End.

Next steps will be to secure the necessary funding for a delivery of a PFR scheme as part of the Flood Capital Programme in the future. The completed Feasibility Study will be used to appraise potential Property Flood Resilience (PFR) Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) scheme options. This will include preparation of an Outline Business Case (OBC) for the rural areas.

We have not been successful in securing funding for a PFR scheme for the 2026/27 financial year. We are currently reviewing recently published government guidance on applying the new funding policy for flood schemes and are looking to apply for 2027/28 funding. 

SuDS planters – Tariff Project

The Flood and Water Management Team (FWMT) as Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) have secured Tariff funding to deliver a scheme of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) planters in Newport Pagnell, Stony Stratford and Wolverton, to reduce the risk of flooding from surface water in these areas. The FWMT have previously delivered planters under different capital schemes including at Cold Harbour School. 

The project will support the delivery of Milton Keynes City Council’s Delivery Plan objective to mitigate the impact of climate change by implementing investment into more flooding prevention schemes. 

A maximum of 15 planters per area are proposed, totalling 45 planters across the three locations. In addition to providing flood risk reduction benefits, the SuDS planters will enhance biodiversity and create new habitats. Project stages will involve a review of sites, agreements, procurement, surveys and installation. 

Key milestones:

• Tranche 1 Site Locations: Desktop Investigation – Aug 2025
• Tranche 2 Site Locations: Fact Finding Locations – May 2026
• Tranche 3 Site Locations: Confirmation / Shortfall Locations – Jul 2026
• Location Specific Engagement – Jul 2026
• Comms Preparation – May 2026
• Finalise Permissions – Aug 2026
• Procurement – Sep 2026
• Planters installation – Jan 2027
• Snagging period – Feb 2027
• Lessons learned/project finish – Mar 2027

Top Meadow Flood Prevention Scheme

Top Meadow Flood Prevention Scheme has been designed to reduce flood risk to six residential properties in the Caldecotte area of Milton Keynes by addressing issues with an unmapped drainage network from the early 1970s. Fences and gardens of the properties including some garden sheds has been affected by the ingress of water and frequent pumping has been undertaken to prevent internal flooding over the years.

Initial and detailed investigations revealed that within MKCC’s land a large culvert and smaller land drains have been contributing to flooding, with road gullies draining toward an outfall at Top Meadow. The network is complex, involving MKCC and Anglian Water assets in vicinity. The scheme proposes diverting water away from the problematic outfall and connecting it directly to Anglian Water’s surface water sewer. This requires permission from Anglian Water, which has been secured, and consideration of surrounding utilities.

Construction of the scheme is expected to commence in Summer 2026.

Woughton Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS)

Woughton Feasibility Study was produced to increase understanding of flood sources, mechanisms and impacts in the seven sub areas: Beanhill, Coffee Hall, Eaglestone, Leadenhall, Netherfield, Peartree Bridge and Tinkers Bridge. Hydraulic modelling has been completed to understand baseline flood conditions and inform potential flood alleviation options which will include a delivery of open SuDS features such as swales and rain gardens across Woughton. The options that we will be exploring further as part of the outline business case include:

• Utilising unused green spaces outside of the Milton Keynes Academy and/or Woughton Leisure Centre to create open SuDS features such as swales and rain gardens
• Utilising existing parking areas in Coffee Hall to install permeable paving
• Green space immediately adjacent to Medale Road (to the north-east) to create a swale/rain gardens
• Above ground storage features (swale) in green space to the north of Redmoor Roundabout
• Above ground storage features (swale or similar) in the green space such as around Netherfield Meeting Place
• Above ground storage area to the south of Netherfield possibly in the form of a sunken basketball court or similar to act as an attenuation area for surface water that has drained from Netherfield. Area would discharge into existing surface water network or into OWs at a controlled rate
• Above ground storage features (swale or similar) near Eaglestone ordinary watercourse to provide online storage to ordinary watercourses
• Above ground storage features (swale or similar) to the west of B4034.

Please see the Delegated Decisions report for more information locations: Agenda for Delegated Decisions on Tuesday 20th January, 2026, 6.00 pm | Milton Keynes City Council

Estimated timescales of Wolverton FAS delivery:

• Concept design drawings – May-Jul 2026
• Concept design report – May-Jul 2026
• Hydraulic Modelling report- May-Jul 2026
• Initial Engagement – Jul-Sep 2026
• Landowner and site user agreements – July-Sep 2026
• Outline Business Case report – Aug 2026
• Pre-construction (indicative) – Q4 2026
• Procurement and enabling – Q4 2026-Q1 2027
• Construction communications – Q2 2027-Q2 2028