Around 400 homes at risk of flooding now have increased protection following a number of projects over a 15-year period. 

Since the devastating flood of 2000 when up to 40 homes were evacuated in the South Woodford area, Redbridge council has worked alongside the Environment Agency (EA) and Thames Water to ensure the River Roding does not burst its banks. 

The liklihood of flooding has been reduced by replacing a number of flap valeves in the borough's surface water sewer system, repairing park of the river bank by Broadmead Baptist Church in Chigwell Road, Woodford Green, and building up the height of the low section at Ray Park in Snakes Lane East, Woodford Green. 

A council spokesman said: "The work means that the properties flooded in 2000 should not be affected by a similar storm and around 400 properties have received increased protection."

There is now a 1 in 75 chance homes near this section of the River Roding will become flooded in the event of a storm. 

The EA says plans to install two pumping stations and an extra flood plain are no longer needed in the Woodford Bridge area. 

Cllr Baldesh Nijjar, cabinet member for environment,  added: "I’m very pleased that the risk to properties in the borough has been so significantly reduced since the terrible flooding of 2000 which affected so many lives.  It reflects years of hard work from the council and its partners."