A MAJOR flood defence scheme at Lustrum Beck in Stockton has been given the go-ahead.

The Environment Agency has granted final approval to £1.2 million of Flood Defence Grant in Aid Funding for the scheme.

It means detailed plans for the works can now be finalised.

Stockton Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor David Rose, said: “We know how devastating flood damage is and want to do our utmost to ensure there is not a repeat of the Autumn 2012 floods in the Lustrum Beck area.

“We have worked tirelessly with the Environment Agency in recent years to find a way of securing funding to allow us to build the much needed flood defences so I’m delighted that this scheme is now set to progress.”

In February the Government confirmed that the Flood Defence Grant in Aid Funding had been allocated for a flood defence scheme at Lustrum Beck, after £415,000 was previously secured from the North-East local levy.

Stockton Council worked with the Environment Agency to secure the total £1.6million.

Stockton Council and the Environment Agency are preparing to start a series of works this summer (2014) which are designed to protect properties along the Lustrum Beck corridor which were worst affected during the Autumn 2012 floods.

A public 'drop in' meeting will take place on Wednesday, July between 2:30pm and 6:30pm at the Grey’s Road Institute, Grey’s Road, Stockton so residents can find out more about the works and flood risk experts will be on hand to discuss the plans.

Works will include:

• Raising the banks at Browns Bridge

• Improving the flow of the beck downstream to prevent 'blockages'

• Improvements at Durham Road bridge to allow water to pass more rapidly and easily

•The creation of a new green space to help retain surface water in the Brown's Bridge area.