Suffolk County Council could pick up £2.7m bill on major flood protection project to safeguard the A12

An authority could pick up a £2.7 million bill on a major flood protection project to safeguard a key road.

Cllr Paul West, the county council's lead for highways and flooding, is due to ask the authority's cabinet members to allocate up to an extra £2.7 million from reserves toward the Benacre Flood Risk Management Project during next Tuesday's council meeting.

The project is for the construction of two new pumping stations, drains and embankments between the A12 and the coast as well as the creation of 82 hectares of intertidal mud flats and salt marsh.

In turn, this would protect the A12 against a one in 200 years tidal flooding event for the next 50 years — currently, the key road is protected by a pumping station on an eroding coast expected to breach within one to two years.

In October, the authority agreed to a £2 million contribution toward the £59.1 million project, funded by the Government with £32.1 million and Sizewell C with £25 million.

However, in December, the final project price tag was calculated at an extra £5 million — after all cost-cutting alternative funding streams were exhausted, the council report said, a £2.7 million gap was left.

The project is being promoted and constructed by the Waveney, Lower Yare and Lothingland Internal Drainage Board (IDB) and maintained by the Environment Agency alongside the landowner.

Approving the money, the report states, is vital so the IDB can sign the main construction contract at the beginning of next month.

The money would only be used to offset any risks which materialised by the time of the project's due date, in March 2029, during which time the authority would continue to look for other funding.

Doing nothing, the council said, could result in a £235 million loss over the next 50 years and compromise not only the A12, but also 200 domestic and commercial properties, and 450 hectares of farmland.