WORK on a vital scheme aimed at avoiding a repeat of the flooding catastrophe which engulfed a market town looks set to start in a year’s time after it secured another major funding boost.

Construction work on Morpeth’s stalled £20m flood defence upgrade is likely to finally get under way in the next 12 months – bringing delight and relief for local campaigners and residents who have spent three years fighting for it.

The project – designed to improve protection for a town devastated by flooding in 2008 – was originally due to start this December, but has been delayed after falling foul of national spending cuts.

Now the Environment Agency’s national board has provisionally allocated £2m for the scheme in 2012/13 – the first time it has secured funding for work to actually start on the ground.

The funding has to be confirmed early next year, but a report to the agency’s regional committee tomorrow indicates that work is set to begin on site in 2012.

The key to the scheme finally getting the green light has been Northumberland County Council’s decision to allocate between £7m and £12m in capital funding, meaning it complies with a new national regime requiring non-Government contributions towards flood defence projects.

Yesterday Alan Bell, who chairs the Morpeth Flood Action Group which was set up after the September 2008 catastrophe, said it now looked certain that construction work would start in 2012.

“Unless George Osborne decides to have another spending review or announces more big cuts, then it will go ahead,” he said. “It would take a major decision by the Environment Agency board to knock it back now.

“We are delighted that it looks as though the scheme is going ahead, and would thank the county council for their commitment to the people of Morpeth in helping to push this forward.”

Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery said: “I am absolutely delighted, but I would rather wait until the final decision is taken. Everyone has worked very hard and it has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but it shows what can happen when people work together to achieve what’s best for the people of Morpeth.”

Town councillor David Parker said: ”I’m extremely pleased that the agency has made this decision, because it is absolutely vital for the future of Morpeth. We can now look forward with great hope.”

It was announced eight months ago that the project was being put back because of a lack of money, and its failure too score highly enough in a new national assessment system.

Last night an agency spokeswoman said it had been working with the county council on improving protection for 1,000 homes and businesses in Morpeth.

She said: “The council will contribute up to £12m towards our proposed scheme and a further £10.6m has been provisionally identified in Government funding, which means the scheme could potentially start next year.

“In February the board will publish the final list of schemes that have been funded to begin 2012/13, and these will be put before the regional flood and coastal committees for their formal approval in April. Meanwhile, our team and the council will continue to work on the detailed design of the scheme.”

The scheme – which will take about two years to build –- involves creating a flood storage reservoir on the Mitford Estate, upstream from Morpeth on the River Wansbeck. It also includes new flood walls, a new upstream tree screen and 75 acres of environmental habitat.