Long-awaited work on Pickering flood defence plan starts

The project is designed to hold back more than 100,000 cubic metres of flood water at times of peak flow down Pickering Beck

Work on a long-awaited £2m flood defence scheme in Pickering, which was shelved two years ago due to escalating costs, has got under way.

The construction of a reservoir near Pickering Beck to store flood water will significantly improve protection for the town.

New plans for the scheme were drawn up after ones in 2011 proved too costly.

Kath Grayson, from the Bridge House guest house, said it would give residents peace of mind.

The project is designed to hold back more than 100,000 cubic metres of flood water in Newtondale at times of peak flow down Pickering Beck.

Experts said it would reduce the chances of flooding in Pickering, which has flooded three times in recent years, from 25% in any one year, to four per cent or less.

Ms Grayson said: "Hopefully it will just give us all the peace of mind that other people don't realise that they have.

"It means we can go out or go on our holidays and don't have to phone home to see what's happening with the beck and watch every forecast on the news."

The scheme has been funded by Defra and agencies involved in the Slowing the Flow Partnership, which brings together a number of groups involved in tackling the problem of flooding in Pickering.