CAMPAIGNERS for a market town's stalled £21m flood defence upgrade are to get good news about the scheme's revitalised progress.

Confirmation of funding – and a construction start date of around a year’s time – for the Morpeth flood alleviation scheme are expected to be given at a meeting on Friday.

The vital upgrade for the town’s defences – intended to prevent a repeat of the 2008 catastrophe when 1,000 homes and businesses were flooded – has put back by at least 12 months because of national spending cuts.

However, the Environment Agency’s regional committee was told in October a pledge of up to £12m in capital funding from Northumberland County Council meant the scheme was now “moving forward at pace”.

On Friday it is expected to be confirmed that full funding has been approved for the project, and construction work will start during the 2012/13 financial year.

A report to the meeting of the agency’s regional flood and coastal committee in Newcastle says a revised funding allocation was received from national head office last month – with all the Northumbria committee’s proposals accepted.

It says all of the identified projects – including the Morpeth flood alleviation scheme – will be progressed either in 2011/12 or 2012/13. Morpeth has an allocation totaling £5.3m for the year 2012/13.

Yesterday Alan Bell, chairman of the Morpeth Flood Action Group which was set up after the 2008 floods, said it looked like more positive news for the scheme.

“The report appears to be saying the funding for the scheme has been confirmed, but we won’t know until Friday.

“The Agency’s national board doesn’t meet until February to approve the allocations, but that is just a formality, and the implication now is that the indicative budget has been confirmed.

“It looks like more good news for the Morpeth scheme. We expect that work will start in early 2013, because there is still a lot of planning to be done.”