Extra £2m for flooding protection

Castle Street culvert in Tewkesbury will be cleared and rebuilt

An additional £2m is to be spent on flood alleviation projects for Gloucestershire in the wake of the 2007 summer floods.

The money will go on a wide range of schemes, including drainage and culvert work, de-silting and raising banks.

It has come from the county and district councils, with a contribution from the Environment Agency.

Work has already begun on some of the projects, with new bids being submitted for consideration in September.

"I hope this announcement will reassure people in Gloucestershire that we and our partners are doing all we can, and as quickly as we can, to protect them from the threat of future flooding," said councillor Julie Girling of Gloucestershire County Council.

"We have assessed schemes on various criteria, including the number of properties in danger of flooding and the likelihood that schemes will start this financial year."

Among the schemes receiving a slice of the £2m are projects to de-silt Saintbridge balancing pond in Gloucester to increase its capacity, and the removal of the sluice gate at Bourton-on-the-Water.

In Cheltenham the Prestbury Flood Risk Management Scheme, which has an estimated cost of £350,000, will be paid for using the new money, as will a £300,000 de-silting programme on the River Chelt.

Tewkesbury, which was all but cut off by the June and July deluge of 2007, will benefit from £90,000 which is to be spent on a scheme to clear and rebuild the culvert at Castle Street.