Meetings to discuss floods as risk increases

Potential flooding solutions will be discussed at a series of public meetings in Shropshire and Wales.

The Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS), a cross-border partnership led by the Environment Agency, said it wanted to be sure all the interventions were "sensitive to public needs".

It said recent research suggested there was a need to store up to 100 million cubic metres of water during floods – equivalent to 40,000 Olympic swimming pools.

Tom Dainty, the Shropshire councillor with responsibility for flood management, said it was important because "extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, and the risk to communities is increasing".

The nine public information sessions will all be held in the upper Severn catchment area, starting in Melverley on Tuesday.

The SVWMS said it was a chance for people to learn about flood management proposals and share their views.

Dainty said the partnership aimed to "identify approaches that work with, and complement, existing farm practises whilst generating new and additional revenue streams".

After Melverley, there will be meetings in Bettws, Welshpool, Shrewsbury, Caersws, Minsterley, Oswestry, Llanfyllin and Llanidloes.

Details of the proposals will also be available online.

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