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Update as flood defence plans too small

Google A map showing the proposed location of the flood defences. It shows the River Kent running north to south. Helsington Mills is located to the west of the river. A point on the east marks Watercrook.Google
The flood defences will be built near Young Spring, south of Kendal in the Lake District

Plans for flood defences designed to protect a village have been updated after initial works were found to lack "sufficient capacity".

Westmorland and Furness Council approved the Environment Agency's (EA) plans to build the defences near Young Spring in Kendal, Cumbria, in 2019.

However, a new planning application said additional data found the structure might not be big enough to prevent flooding in the area.

The EA is now aiming to build the embankment 1.6ft (0.5m) higher than its initial plan.

The planning application said the previous design did "not have sufficient capacity during a flood event, potentially resulting in overtopping of the banks at Young Spring and overland flows towards Helsington Mills".

The clay embankment will run next to the Young Spring watercourse and will be 374ft (114m) long.

It will also tie into high ground in a bid to deflect any overland flows back into the watercourse, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The planning application is now undergoing a public consultation.

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