Tenbury Wells’ MP was celebrating last night following a briefing that confirmed the town’s flood defence scheme is close to being fully-funded after £4.9 million Government cash injection.

Harriett Baldwin MP, whose West Worcestershire MP covers Tenbury, has lobbied for nearly 13 years to secure funding for the complex flood defence scheme to protect the homes and businesses which have been seriously flooded several times in the last 20 years.

The MP met with Environment Secretary George Eustice and Floods Minister Rebecca Pow to urge them to fund the permanent scheme which – til now – was considered too expensive to support.

But Harriett pressed for the latest version of the scheme in a Parliamentary debate after townspeople and business owners were driven from their properties by serious flooding in February.

The scheme is estimated to cost between £5 and £6 million and the Government funding will also require financial support from other sources.

Harriett commented: “Flooding has been a terrible blight in Tenbury and I was devastated to see the effects of serious flooding earlier this year leaving people homeless and businesses shut.

“I’ve always felt that this project would need persistence and I held positive meetings with Government ministers after this latest flood.

“West Worcestershire has benefitted from six major flood schemes and the defences in Upton-upon-Severn have become a tourist attraction as well as a working flood wall that has saved the town many times.

“I had a virtual meeting with the Environment Agency last Friday to urge them to press on with the public consultation and I look forward to the local team making swift progress on this vitally important project.

“Tenbury is gradually getting back on its feet after floods and now the global pandemic, but this announcement proves that the Government is firmly committed to acting to protect this vibrant community from future flooding.”