Funding secured for flood defences.

FUNDING has been secured to make progress on a scheme aimed at protecting a Northumberland town from the kind of severe flooding which it suffered four decades ago.

The Environment Agency has secured cash to further develop plans aimed at safeguarding Morpeth from the threat of flooding from the River Wansbeck, which runs close to the town centre.

Following detailed studies of the town's flood risk, the Agency has drawn up plans which include new flood walls and upstream water storage.

Experts will now examine detailed design and construction options, including a full site investigation in the town early in the New Year.

The news comes four months after a group of local councillors called for work on the scheme to be urgently brought forward, amid fears that a lack of funding could see Morpeth miss out to other communities hit by severe flooding last summer.

Morpeth has a long history of flooding, with the worst incident happening in 1963 when about 500 properties were flooded and the town centre left under water.

Flood defences were built in part of the town but these now need to be improved and extended to cope with today's heightened level of flood risk and the changing climate.

Hundreds of homes in lowlying areas next to the river remain at high risk.

Yesterday the Environment Agency's project manager for the scheme, Phil Welton, said: "Now funding has been secured to develop the options further, we can build on earlier work to consider the most effective way of tackling flood risk in Morpeth.

"We will do a full site investigation in the town early in the New Year. This will involve a specialist contractor using machinery to assess ground conditions, as well as the condition and strength of the existing defences."

Potential work discussed so far includes the creation of a wet area on land upstream from the town to reduce peak flows in the river, action to tackle debris in the watercourse and increasing the height of existing flood walls in Morpeth.

In August, local Liberal Democrat councillors called for a lobbying campaign involving MPs and the Government in a bid to bring forward detailed planning on the scheme, amid fears that it was in danger of slipping.

Mr Welton said it was now hoped to reach a decision on the best option for Morpeth by the spring or summer of 2009, with construction work starting in the next three to five years, subject to further funding approvals.

He said they would be consulting the local community and other local interest groups throughout the project.