Last updated at 15:32, Friday, 11 November 2011

Penrith's MP has praised the town’s £6.2 million flood alleviation scheme.

Rory Stewart, right and Jez Westgarth

Rory Stewart, who represents Penrith and the Border, visited the Environment Agency scheme at Thacka Beck to see first-hand the work that has been done to reduce the risk of flooding in Penrith.

The scheme, which has reduced the risk of flooding to 263 homes and 119 businesses in Penrith from 20 per cent to one per cent in any one year, has involved fixing and replacing more than 657 metres of culverts beneath the town’s streets.

In addition, a storage reservoir that has been built upstream to hold back flood water and conservation work has been carried out around the flood storage basin to provide a wetland wildlife haven for the local community.

Mr Stewart was joined by Jez Westgarth, the agency’s area environment manager for Cumbria, who showed him round the project.

Mr Stewart said: “Homes and businesses in Penrith have experienced flooding four times in the last 16 years, most significantly in 2005 when 35 properties flooded, causing considerable damage to both residential and commercial properties.

“This is a great scheme that has given many, many residents peace of mind.

“The creation of a conservation area shows how, when we are flexible and thoughtful, we can bring added community benefits to infrastructure projects at relatively little cost.”

First published at 14:10, Friday, 11 November 2011
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk