Shropshire farmers in river dredging scheme to stop flooding

The new scheme, unveiled by Environment Secretary and north Shropshire MP Owen Paterson, has been set up after calls from farmers to avoid similar flooding episodes like those seen in Somerset last year.

Seven rivers across England have been chosen for the pilot including the Duckow which runs through Market Drayton.

Farmers have been urging the government to relax rules so they can dredge rivers themselves after the Environment Agency confirmed it did not have enough money in its budget to cover the work.

But Mr Paterson has now announced details of the new pilot scheme, designed to remove red tape and help landowners manage risk of flooding.

Currently, landowners have to apply for permission from the Environment Agency before carrying out certain maintenance activities on rivers crossing their land.

But under the new river maintenance pilots, farmers and landowners in the seven areas at risk of flooding will be allowed to carry out work to de-silt watercourses without needing to obtain a consent.

Mr Paterson said: "I want to make it as simple as possible for landowners and farmers to carry out work to protect their land.

"Watercourse maintenance can reduce the risk of flooding, enhance the environment and improve water quality.

"These pilots will make sure that people who want to carry out this kind of work can do so without getting tied up in red tape."

The Environment Agency will oversee the pilots, which will last 12 months.

The findings will be used to develop a new improved system of consents for managing river maintenance by 2015, as part of the reforms being introduced in the Water Bill.

Other rivers in the scheme include the River Brue in Somerset, River Idle in Nottinghamshire and Upper Thames, in Oxfordshire.

Landowners and farmers will be able to start river maintenance activities according to the new guidance from Monday.

The news welcomed by the Shropshire branch of the NFU.

Sarah Faulkner, NFU regional environment adviser, said: "The last thing Shropshire farmers want to see is watercourses and rivers continue to deteriorate from a lack of maintenance.

"Our members have raised concerns about recurring flooding problems and what impact cuts to flood management maintenance budgets might have.

"We held a rivers and watercourse maintenance meeting back in March, at Hodnet, to discuss this issue and the Environment Agency attended and spoke with county farmers. We are pleased the EA and Defra are now seeking to reduce red tape and make it easier for farmers to maintain watercourses themselves and it will help those with land alongside the Duckow."