WEST Worcestershire MP Dame Harriett Baldwin has welcomed written confirmation that the Environment Agency has committed to delivering a project to add individual property protection to buildings affected by flooding in Tenbury Wells.
Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy has set down, in a letter to the MP, the organisation’s position following briefings last week which suggested it was halting the project once property surveys were carried out.
The MP met the chief executive together with Flooding Minister Emma Hardy MP, in Westminster, to review the issue and both pledged to press on with the work towards delivering the scheme.
After Dame Harriett contacted the pair to highlight the problem, a budget has been found from the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee to enable the project and local managers are working with committee members to finalise the funding plan.
The Environment Agency also committed to identify means to fund the natural flood solutions involving planting trees and bushes upstream of the river Wye to slow the flow of flood water.
So far surveys have been carried out on 70 properties, with a further 30 planned for the coming weeks.
Dame Harriett said: “I was furious when Environment Agency managers told me, out of the blue, that the latest proposals to protect Tenbury were no longer funded, and I immediately sought a face-to-face meeting with the chief executive and the Minister.
“It is fair to say that they were both surprised by this turn of events and I am grateful that the Environment Agency has moved swiftly to find a solution to this impasse.
“The property level flood protection was the barest minimum solution and I urge property owners who have not come forward to book a survey as quickly as possible.
“Tenbury will flood again, and it is so important that people take advantage of this funding to reduce the impact on frequently flooded properties while we all work to find the significant capital investment which will allow the construction of the permanent flood defences.”
