WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Dame Harriett Baldwin has repeated her call to get spades in the ground on the long-awaited flood defence scheme planned for Severn Stoke.
The MP has written to Natural England chief executive Marian Spain asking for her to support to speed up the project and allow diggers to get onto the site as quickly as possible.
Work has been carried out to clear hedges, and fences to limit the movement of the protected great crested newt were first installed in 2022.
The project has already been granted planning permission but Natural England will be required to give its consent to the project and this process could take as long as 40 days to get the green light to start work.
The MP has also urged Worcestershire County Council to ensure that its contractor is signed up and ready to start work as soon as possible.
Dame Harriett said: “With much of West Worcestershire still sodden and flood water still around, it could not be more important that all the obstacles are overcome at Severn Stoke to allow contractors to start work swiftly.
“The Government has shown that this project is now a priority and I am grateful for the continued support from Flooding Minister Emma Hardy to get this project in the schedule.
“It’s now going to need a well-motivated team locally to deliver the project and I am working hard to identify and overcome any potential blockages.
“The Environment Agency actually started on this project several years ago and drivers will have seen newt fences in place at the site since 2022.
“I’d love to see all the relevant agencies working smoothly together to get the bund and road built in Severn Stoke protecting people’s homes and businesses and the historic church.”
