PLANS for a flood defence scheme for North Tawton are expected to take great strides forward within the next two months — and work could begin this winter.

West Devon Borough Council has given approval for its engineers Polsford Duvivier to apply for planning permission for the North Tawton Defence Wall and Retention Lagoon.

And at the same time the Design Study will be submitted to DEFRA for funding.

Nick Payne, head of the borough council's environmental services, said the council would also be calling in any previous indications of help in kind and financial assistance from various agencies towards the £750,000 scheme.

'These three things will be happening in parallel over the next couple of months,' he said.

'We are anticipating that DEFRA will deal with the application fairly quickly because our consultants have been talking with officials from the department all the way along the line.

'I am optimistic that we are well on the way to sorting out North Tawton's problems and it will be a great relief to everybody when this scheme is put in place.'

DEFRA's predecessor MAFF agreed a grant in principal of 40 per cent of the cost earlier this year but requested to see a Design Study before funds were released.

The borough council commissioned a consultant's report last autumn following a long history of flooding in North Tawton.

The study found a number of contributory factors including an antiquated sewerage system, flooding from the River Taw and town streams and surface run-off water from highways.

The preferred option was to provide a flood wall at Mill Lane, channel improvements and a retention lagoon behind North Street.

Support for a flood relief scheme has been strong within the borough council, but due to limited funds members agreed that every means must be found to secure finances from other organisations such as South West Water and Devon County Council.

Mr Payne said it was now time to find out what the bottom line for the borough council would be in terms of funding for the project.

'We are hoping that everything will be in place so we can start some of the work before the winter is out,' he said.