KEETCH CALLS FOR GREYFRIARS BANK FLOOD SCHEME AS BELMONT GOES ONE STEP FURTHER

9.00.00am GMT Thu 3rd Mar 2005

Hereford's much needed flood defence scheme passed another hurdle as the Belmont flood alleviation scheme was accepted by the Environment Agency National Review Group at the first submission. It is rare for a scheme to be accepted immediately and the plans will now go forward to the Agency Board and then to DEFRA.

Meanwhile, local MP Paul Keetch is trying to get a defence plan for Greyfriars Avenue off the ground. This week he met with Bill Adamson of the Wye Local Flood Defence Committee and a resident of Greyfriars Avenue, and Mary Dhonau, Director of the National Flood Forum and Chair of Worcester Action Against Flooding.

"I am glad that the scheme for the Belmont bank is going so well, but we must not forget the people who live in Greyfriars Avenue", said Mr Keetch.

"Under existing DEFRA point scoring rules a scheme there of permanent defences is not viable, but we could look at a scheme using demountable defences, as used in Shrewsbury and Worcester. This would be much cheaper.

"I will be contacting the local Area Flood Defence Manager to see if a scheme could be looked at, and I am delighted that Peter May, the Area Flood Defence Manager for the upper Severn, who was in charge of the temporary defence trials in Worcester and Ironbridge, has offered his advice with the feasibility study.

"With omens looking good for the Belmont bank, now is the time to begin planning for the Greyfriars bank too."