The river runs past hundreds of homes and businesses

The Scottish Executive has provided 80% of the funding for the project in the south side of Glasgow.

The �50m flood defences will aim to protect 1,750 homes and businesses along the White Cart river.

The work will involve the construction of 7.6km of wall and the creation of three water storage sites near Newton Mearns, Eaglesham and Clarkston.

The 10km-long White Cart river is shallow, fast-flowing and prone to flash flooding.

This scheme will give a high standard of protection to homes and businesses along the White Cart river Rhona Brankin Deputy Environment Minister

The few isolated flood defences already in place have been described as "inadequate" by Glasgow City Council.

All three local authorities affected by the proposals - Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire - have already granted planning permission.

Ministers have now given their green light to the plans, which will see flood water storage sites created at Blackhouse, south-west of Newton Mearns; Kirkland Bridge, east of Eaglesham and Kittoch Bridge, south-east of Clarkston.

Deputy Environment Minister Rhona Brankin visited Cathcart to announce details of the funding package on Thursday.

"We are determined to help local authorities, such as Glasgow, protect vulnerable areas from flooding and this scheme will give a high standard of protection to homes and businesses along the White Cart river," she said.

We hope that once the new flood protections are in place they will help to ensure any heavy rains will not cause havoc for those living on or near the river Archie Graham Langside councillor

"I am particularly pleased that Glasgow City Council has adopted a holistic catchment approach in providing a sustainable solution to flooding.

"It will enhance bio-diversity and increase access to the river throughout the south side of Glasgow with the minimum visual impact for local residents."

Langside councillor Archie Graham welcomed the announcement.

"This is an ambitious project and the news that all the money is now in place to ensure that it is implemented will be a great relief to residents of the south side of Glasgow," he said.

"There have been more than 20 serious floods along the White Cart in the last century, many of these caused by relatively minor storms.