About the scheme
About the scheme
Also read: Why we need the scheme and how it works, and development of the scheme.
Integrated scheme
The River Thames Scheme (RTS) will reduce the risk of flooding to thousands of homes, businesses and vital infrastructure. It will create new areas of green open space with recreational facilities and connections to wildlife. It will also provide sustainable travel connections to link communities together.
The RTS covers an area from Egham to Teddington. The area surrounding this stretch of river and its lakes is diverse. It has been shaped by large construction works including major roads and extensive mineral working. It includes flood plain, heritage landscape, rich natural habitats, housing and businesses and historical and active landfill.
The RTS represents a new landscape-based approach to creating healthier, more resilient, and more sustainable communities. The RTS will be an integrated scheme which responds to the challenges of flooding; creating more access to green open spaces and sustainable travel routes, in addition to encouraging inclusive economic growth, increasing biodiversity and responding to the dual challenges of climate change and nature recovery.
A major new piece of blue and green infrastructure, each element of the RTS will work together to deliver benefits for communities. A new flood channel will reduce the risk of flooding to homes, businesses, and infrastructure, while also providing habitat for wildlife and a new feature in the landscape for recreation. 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, linking different elements of the scheme with communities and providing better connections within and across the area. Areas of new and improved habitat for wildlife and nature recovery will connect with existing nature sites and wildlife corridors to provide a new nature recovery network along the length of the channel that supports even more biodiversity.
Our proposals include:
