By Ross Brewster

Published at 11:37, Friday, 04 July 2008

DETAILED plans are being developed to prevent a repeat of the large scale flooding which hit homes in parts of Keswick three years ago.

Fears: Gordon Furness

The Environment Agency has promised to consider comments made by retired garage owner Gordon Furness who lives in the part of the town hit by the floods and who believes the preferred option, which looks at raising the linear defences in various areas in the west of Keswick, is flawed.

Ray Kemp, Environment Agency project manager, said: “The Derwent Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP) is a strategic planning document that identifies broad policies for managing flood risk over the next 50 to 100 years within the whole Derwent catchment and has been developed with local decision makers, including local authorities.

“The CFMP does not give specific flood risk reduction measures,but outlines a general policy for an area. With regard to Keswick the preferred policy is to take further action to reduce flood risk. In the future detailed plans will be developed to fulfil this policy following consultation with the local community including the Keswick Flood Action Group.”

Mr Kemp said Mr Furness had registered his comments and they were being considered as part of the public consultation for the Derwent CFMP.

Mr Furness, of High Hill, believes the threat to dozens of properties at risk of flooding will be overlooked during debates on raising the level of Derwentwater, which recently fell to a record low.

He said the level may be a natural factor, to accommodate future flood water. Mr Furness is worried that the consultation document for the management plan has gone by “virtually unnoticed” by statutory authorities.

The full document is available on the Environment Agency’s website to view.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk