TENBURY'S MP has said she is confident that the Tenbury flood scheme will go ahead after extra funding was found.

It now means that the project can press ahead after the Government came up with another £2.6 million.

This takes the total cost of the scheme to close to £8 million.

Tenbury MP Harriett Baldwin met with Ministers to press for the extra cash and Tenbury will get two awards, £2.5 million for the flood defence scheme and £100,000 for wider flood solutions for the town.

This extra cash comes on top of the £4.9 million which the Government allocated to the town's flood defences in 2020.

The Conservative MP, whose West Worcestershire constituency includes Tenbury, also met with the local team responsible for developing the scheme to urge them to accelerate their work and submit designs to the planning authority, including an alternative plan for the controversial Church Street wall.

Mrs Baldwin successfully lobbied the Government for the additional cash after the Environment Agency revealed that rising costs had left a significant budget shortfall.

"I am delighted that this extra cash has been allocated to help to keep both schemes on track and I am grateful that the Ministers listened carefully to my requests and continue to support this vital scheme," said Mrs Baldwin.

"The Tenbury scheme is far more complicated than the Environment Agency first envisaged when it drew up the initial plans and the blending of flood gates, walls with heritage bricks and bunds has meant that extra time has had to be allocated to consultation with local stakeholders.

"There are clear complications in certain areas of the scheme and I know that the area around the churchyard is particularly controversial. I understand that at least one other alternative plan is under development but I urged the Environment Agency to speed up their work so that planners can decide on the final scheme as soon as possible.

"I remain confident that the Tenbury scheme will go ahead and I continue to offer my support so that the town gets the right scheme to protect homes and businesses from the terrible threat of flooding."

Tenbury was one of the worst places in the country to be hit by floods three years ago.