Flood prevention project in Stoke-on-Trent finishes.

A multi-million-pound Environment Agency project on the Fowlea Brook in Stoke-on-Trent has finished, protecting up to 333 properties and reopening 6.5km of the brook for fish migration.

A multi-million-pound flood prevention scheme on the Fowlea Brook in Stoke-on-Trent has been completed. The project began in 2024 and was led by the Environment Agency to address the brook's tendency to rise rapidly during heavy rain. Work included new flood walls, embankments and a flood gate, and also removed a barrier that had prevented fish migrating upstream. The upgrades repair over 500 metres of the channel and are reported to extend its lifespan by about 60 years. Project details: - Up to 333 properties are reported to be protected by the completed works. - New flood walls, embankments and a flood gate were installed, and a fish barrier was removed. - About 6.5 km of the brook have been reopened for fish migration, allowing brown trout and chub to move freely. - Repairs and upgrades covered over 500 m (1,640 ft) of the channel and are said to extend its lifespan by roughly 60 years. - Local disruption included the Rebecca Street car park being occupied for around 18 months and road closures for several months during construction. - The agency said the work has supported area regeneration, with three housing developments worth £15m under way creating more than 230 homes, and six further sites for 350+ homes and a regional AI hub going through planning with the council. Summary: The completed scheme is intended to reduce flood risk for hundreds of homes and businesses and to lengthen the usable life of the channel. The works have also reopened habitat for fish and are linked with local regeneration projects; planning is ongoing for additional housing sites and a proposed regional AI hub. Officials said climate change projections were built into the design to address future risk.