FLOODING relief is in sight for residents of North Tawton with an £800,000 flood defence scheme for the town going before West Devon Borough Council for final approval next week.
The council was informed last month that the Government will put more than £300,000 towards the much-needed plan. The grant will come from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
North Tawton has a long history of flooding problems. At the height of heavy storms homes have had to be evacuated several times and thousands of pounds worth of damage has been caused.
Over the last two years, the borough council has carried out consultation with townspeople and compiled a detailed report by consulting engineers commissioned by the authority. Council officers believe the proposal could bring an end to flooding in North Tawton.
At a special meeting in Okehampton next Tuesday councillors will be asked to support the scheme and approve spending £500,000 towards the scheme.
Nick Payne, borough environmental services officer, said the council is convinced there will be repeated flooding incidents in North Tawton unless action is taken.
'The scheme is all-embracing and designed to control flows in watercourses, provide storage in times of high rainfall and to overcome the lack of maintenance that has historically added to the flooding problems.'
He said the flood defence scheme would provide protection should a serious flooding incident arise.
It would ensure North Tawton's future as an important centre for employment and a vibrant local community.
If the project is approved, council officers and engineers will stage a public meeting in North Tawton next month to discuss when work is expected to begin and how the scheme will be managed.
The engineers have come up with a scheme to build a flood wall and flood banks for the River Taw, clear silt from the river around the bridge, make improvements to the scheme and build a flood storage reservoir.
Last year engineers revealed that North Tawton's flooding problems were unique and not solely related to the flooding of the River Taw, which runs through the town.
A complex system of streams, changes in weather patterns, high annual rainfall, surface water run-off from highways and an old sewerage system make the situation even worse during heavy rainfall.