West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has welcomed further progress on her long-standing campaign to secure a permanent flood defence scheme for Severn Stoke.

Malvern Hills District Council unanimously approved the scheme at its planning committee on November 4.

Harriett has been working with community groups since the village suffered serious flooding in 2012 and she has lobbied the Environment Agency and a succession of Government Ministers to secure funding and drive the project forward.

The community-led project is aimed at protecting homes, the historic church, a popular pub and the village halls and will use local materials and local contractors.

Harriett commented: “This is fabulous news for the villagers of Severn Stoke and anybody who has had to face delays and diversions when the A38 is shut down by serious flooding.

“I’ve been working closely with the community and the landowners to identify a plan to protect the village and vital road link and this is a great milestone reached.

“One of my key election pledges, last year, was to continue to lobby for permanent flood defences in Severn Stoke and Tenbury Wells and both schemes have made huge leaps forward this year.

“I look forward to seeing the fuller detail on the project soon and hope that we will have spades in the ground very soon.”