Funding of £46m to help improve flood resilience
BBCThe government has promised more than £46m to 70 schemes in the South West to help reduce the risk of flooding and coastal erosion.
The Environment Agency said 49 flood defence facilities and projects in Devon were being awarded a total of just over £35.5m and 21 in Cornwall were set to share about £11m.
It is part of the government's commitment to a three-year investment of £4.2bn to reduce flooding in homes, businesses and local amenities across the UK.
The new flood funding policy is set to be implemented from 1 April and end in March 2029.
'Deeply disappointed'
Environment Minister Emma Reynolds said the funding would better protect homes and businesses from the risk of flooding from rivers, the sea, ground and surface water.
The funding will support flood defences in Cornwall, including: Bude, St Ives, Portreath and Helston.
In Devon, Axminster, Exeter, Paignton and Powderham will benefit.
Reynolds said: "All of this is helping to make them more resilient to flooding, but I do acknowledge how difficult the winter has been."
South Devon MP Caroline Voaden welcomed the £101,000 of funding given for defence against tidal flooding in Kingsbridge, although she said it would cost more than that.
The Liberal Democrat said she was "deeply disappointed" Torcross and Beesands were not granted funding after the A379 was washed away by storms in February.
She said: "I have repeatedly made clear to ministers that the survival of these villages depends on restoring their coastal defences before another winter of storms.
"You would be hard pressed to find a crisis more fitting to this funding's aim of protecting homes and businesses from the devastating impact of flooding and coastal erosion."
