Areas of Lancashire and Cumbria set to benefit from flood defence projects

Communities in Lancashire and Cumbria affected by the devastating floods of 2015, are set to benefit from millions of pounds in flood defence funding.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said the £62.35 million pledge, which will target 13 areas in total throughout the UK, will help protect more than 9,000 homes and is in addition to the Government's current £2.6 billion flood defence programme.

The funding will see £22.8 million allocated to four projects in Kendal, Egremont, Flimby and Preston and South Ribble.

£19 million will be given to the Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, where schemes will be developed in the towns of Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge and Brighouse.

Tadcaster in North Yorkshire will get a £9 million input.

Outside the north, the announcement also covers schemes in Essex and Lincolnshire.

Ms Villiers said:

Emma Howard Boyd, chairwoman of the Environment Agency and UK commissioner on the Global Commission on Adaptation, said:

According to Defra, the Environment Agency has completed construction of more than 500 new flood and coastal erosion schemes since April 2015.

It said the Government will set out a policy statement on preparations for flood and coastal erosion later this year.