Massive flood beacons, rain gardens and improved sea walls could be in place by 2030 to deal with the threat of flooding in south Essex, but fears remain that it will not be enough.

The latest data from organisation Climate Central shows that by 2030 huge swathes of south Essex could be below the annual flood level, leaving them underwater in the event of flooding.

However, the data does not account for ongoing sweeping flood defence improvements, and Southend Council is currently working on two major projects to tackle the threat while a huge sea wall project is underway on Canvey.

Risk - Red areas show what could be lost come 2030Risk - Red areas show what could be lost come 2030 (Image: Climate Central)

All of Canvey, patches of Southend’s golden mile, Eastern Esplanade and huge portions of Shoebury and the Wakering area could be affected, with potential further risks to areas around the River Roach and River Crouch, according to Climate Central.

Southend Labour councillor responsible for Environment, Lydia Hyde, is confident that works are progressing at a fast enough pace to tackle the increased risk of flooding by 2030.

She said: “Flooding is worse towards the east and Thorpe area and that is why it is so important that we are investing. The sea wall needs strengthening and a good amount of work.

“A lot of flood work is known, and as part of the Environment Agency’s Catchment to Coast programme, there will be new flood warning beacons, this will give us any early indications of a flood event.

“Floods have a repetition rate.You get these big sea surges, and the new beacons would let us warn businesses on the seafront that flood.”

Risk - A flooded Eastern EsplanadeRisk - A flooded Eastern Esplanade (Image: Marc Ayers)

Ideas such as rain gardens, green spaces that soak up rainwater and wet woodlands, which direct water into woodland to be absorbed, have been touted as solutions.

The “Marine Parade sustainable water management scheme” will see a series of rain gardens – green spaces aimed at soaking up surface water – installed along the seafront.

The “catchment to coast” scheme aims to tackle flooding, coastal erosion and surface water flood risk through a “leaky dams” scheme at Belfairs.

The “leaky dam” scheme will see a wet woodland created at the upper Prittle Brook channel to hold water and reduce flash flooding downstream.

Rain gardens - Proposed rain gardens along the seafrontRain gardens - Proposed rain gardens along the seafront (Image: Southend Council)

Ms Hyde added: “We have our main defences, but we are constantly reviewing them and repairing the sea walls.

“We know Southend over time will become rainier and when there is more rain, what do we do with the water?”

Southend Green Leader, Richard Longstaff, believes that more must be done, however.

He said: “We are concerned. We think this needs to be taken seriously and sooner than we think we are seeing rising sea levels and weather events not meant to occur for decades.

“We should do more. I don’t think the council as an entity can do that alone, this is something nationally we have to consider.”

An Environment Agency spokesman said: “The prediction does not take into account extensive efforts taken to prevent such severe incidents in the future, including the presence of sea defences, which protect communities from flooding.”