From Plans to Protection: Feniton Flood Alleviation Scheme Delivers Safety for the Future

East Devon District Council (EDDC) is pleased to announce that the £6.075m Feniton Flood Alleviation Scheme has been fully completed and is now operational, offering long-term protection to local homes, infrastructure and the community from flooding.

This is a landmark moment, following many years of planning, design, construction and collaboration with partners, landowners and residents.

Project Background and Purpose

• In October 2008, 60 properties in New Feniton suffered flooding when the existing watercourse was unable to cope under extreme rainfall.
• There has been regular flooding of homes, roads and infrastructure which reduced following phase 1 completion
• The scheme’s overarching purpose is to collect flood water from the hillside above the village, divert it through a new 1,050 mm diameter pipe and open channels through and around Feniton, and thereby reduce flood risk to homes and infrastructure.
• The scheme also includes property-level protection (PLP) measures for selected properties further downstream.

Scheme Phases

The delivery of the flood alleviation scheme was structured in four distinct phases, each addressing a critical component of the solution:

Phase 1

• This first phase delivered works for properties downstream of Ottery Road.
• It included the construction of a new ditch around Metcombe & Sweethams Cottage, and a bypass ditch around ponds at Gosford Farm.
• Phase 1 was completed in January 2016.

Phase 2

• Phase 2 focused on property-level protection works for The Oaks, Pines Cottage and Iron Gate Lodge.
• Works included flood gates, walls, raised driveways and stop-logs to safeguard these properties.
• Phase 2 was completed in 2016

Phase 3

• Phase 3 involved installing the culvert beneath the railway line (on the Exeter to Waterloo rail corridor).
• This allowed the main flood diversion pipe to pass under the railway, ensuring continuity of the hydraulic route.
• The railway crossing work was completed in 2022, following several years of complex negotiation with Network Rail.

Phase 4 (Final Phase)

• Phase 4 is the main trunk of the scheme: installing the 1,050 mm diameter main  pipe culvert that is 900m long, the feeder channels, and connecting to the railway-crossing culvert built in Phase 3.
• The pipe runs north from the railway crossing, crossing Green Lane and Wells Avenue, through Warwick Close, through parts of the Wainhomes site, under Station Road, and into fields south of the village. A swale and outfall structure finishes the system near Ottery Road / Green Lane.
• Work on Phase 4 began in September 2024, and completed in autumn 2025.
• Throughout this phase, the Kier team built strong links with the local community — engaging with residents, visiting primary schools to deliver educational assemblies, organising fundraising activities, and making charitable donations. Their commitment ensured that the needs and interests of Feniton’s village community remained at the heart of the project’s delivery. 

 Benefits

With the scheme now complete, the community can expect:

• Reduced flood risk to as many as 65 homesin the village, plus protection of the primary school and local transport links.
• Resilience to a 1-in-100-year flood eventstandard in central parts of the new scheme.
• Integration of the new hydraulic route with existing drainage, thereby complementing and enhancing downstream channel capacity (which had been improved in Phases 1 & 2).
• A more robust and climate-resilient design, anticipating future extreme rainfall events.
• Long-term infrastructure that can be maintained by EDDC and partners.

Councillor Geoff Jung, EDDC Portfolio Holder for Environment – Operations, said: “We are proud to confirm that the Feniton Flood Alleviation Scheme is now fully operational. This has been a long journey — through planning, funding, engineering and construction — but we have delivered a real, measurable improvement in flood resilience for local residents and the village as a whole. The perseverance of the community, our officers, contractors, and partner agencies is reflected in today’s milestone.”

Councillor Alasdair Bruce EDDC Councillor for Feniton, added: “It is a huge relief to see this project reach conclusion. I recognise the temporary disruption the works caused, but every inconvenience was worthwhile for the long-term security it now brings. Many residents will now sleep easier at night knowing their homes are better protected.”

Cllr Martyn Smith, Chairman of Feniton Parish Council, said: “Flooding has been on the Parish Council Agenda, every month for nearly two decades.  Having been involved with the original concept, walking the proposed route with the Environment Agency and our MP at the time, we have seen the project have its ups and downs.  It is of great credit to EDDC and its engineers that they have now taken the project to its final conclusion. I would also like to thank Susie Bond, our previous District Councillor for much of the project, who tirelessly pushed it forward on our behalf. It will be a massive relief to everyone in the village.”

Cllr Jayne Blackmore, Feniton Parish Council, said:

“As a flood warden and resident I’m delighted that work has finished. I am one of the many residents who were flooded and had to leave our homes for six months, so the completion of the scheme is great news. It has brought peace to my household, as I won’t have to get up in the middle of the night to raise the alarm, closing roads and distributing sandbags now.”

Next Steps and Monitoring

• EDDC and its partners will monitor scheme performance during heavy rainfall events to validate hydraulic models and ensure the system performs as intended.
• Regular maintenance and inspection programmes will follow, to keep pipes, channels, culverts and control structures in good repair.
• The project’s outcomes and data will inform future flood schemes