HUNDREDS of flood-threatened families in a Northumberland market town have been told that a stalled project to protect their homes is now “moving forward at pace”.
The £21m scheme to defend more than 1,000 homes and businesses in Morpeth to prevent a repeat of the town’s 2008 flooding catastrophe has been delayed by Government spending cuts, leaving residents worried about when and if it would ever get under way.
Now it has been confirmed Northumberland County Council’s recent decision to allocate up to £12m to the project has secured vital Environment Agency funding, meaning construction work is likely to start in the 2012/13 financial year.
Officials described the turnaround as “a fantastic outcome” and “brilliant news”, for what has been a difficult scheme to get off the ground.
Ian Hodge, area flood and coastal risk manager, said: “Morpeth is a scheme which we can progress, and which is now moving forward at pace.
“This is brilliant news because it has been a very difficult scheme for 18 months or so.
“This is a fantastic achievement and outcome, and comes after what has been some very hard work by a lot of people.”
Mr Hodge was speaking at a meeting of the regional flood and coastal committee in Newcastle, where it was confirmed that the Morpeth flood alleviation scheme has been provisionally allocated £2m for 2012/13 by the agency’s board.
