WEYMOUTH residents are being invited to an event about flooding today.

Dorset Coast Forum is holding a flood awareness event for Melcombe Regis at the Park Community Centre, Chelmsford Street, DT4 7HR on January 25.

Residents are being invited to go along any time from 4pm to 6pm to raise their concerns and help shape future solutions to the issue.

It is being hosted by Dorset Coast Forum as part of a new project - Building Resilience in Flood Disadvantaged Communities (BRIC) -  to help Weymouth residents prepare for increased flooding in areas at risk. 

What's the risk?

The BRIC's researchers say that the risk of flooding in Weymouth will greatly increase due to climate change, rising sea levels, and an increase in the number of and intensity of storms.

The existing harbour walls are already too low to protect Weymouth from major flood events and the sea level in Weymouth is expected to rise a further 1.3m over the next 100 years.

In Weymouth there are four main types of flooding risk:

• Tidal flooding via Weymouth Harbour

• Fluvial flooding via the River Wey

• Surface water flooding due to rainfall (exacerbated by tide-locking)

• Wave overtopping of the seafront

It has been estimated that by 2115, 1,600 properties will be at risk of tidal flooding around the harbour alone.

According to BRIC: Weymouth also includes areas that are the 20% most deprived of England, with high levels of people on low incomes, multiple-occupancy households, transient populations (people who stay for short periods of time) and people living with disabilities or long-term illness.

This can impact on how Weymouth’s community responds to flooding events in terms of awareness, preparation and coping in the aftermath.

Aims of the project

BRIC says its aim is to work with the Weymouth community to respond to what residents want and need, through engagement, creating awareness, training and providing educational and informative tools and guidance.

The drop-in event today aims to listen to residents’ opinions and experiences on what the best outcomes would be for the community in terms of flood resilience.

About BRIC

The Building Resilience in Communities project is one of eight pilot schemes being run across the South of the UK and in the northern regions of France.

The aim is to create a guide and new tools and resources that can be used more widely in areas affected by flooding in these areas.

For more information on the drop-in event visit https://www.dorsetcoast.com/posts/flood-awareness-drop-in-event-tuesday-25-january-4-6pm/

For more information on the project, visit www.dorsetcoast.com/projects/weymouth-bric/ or contact Project Coordinator Dan Williams on 01305 228679 or by email at dan.williams@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk