CLA welcomes flood paper but cautions more detail needed

External sourcein Industry News

CumbriaFloods
The CLA (Country Landowners and Business Association Ltd) in the North has welcomed a new government plan to reduce flooding in Cumbria but cautioned more detail is needed, specifically around how measures will be funded.

The Cumbria Flood Action Plan sets out the short-term actions that will see 4,300 homes in the region better protected, as well as the long-term actions that will see local organisations and communities working in partnership to develop better ways of managing rivers and the land.

CLA North Regional Surveyor Robert Frewen, who is a member of the Cumbria Floods Partnership, said he welcomed the paper's repeated reference to working with farmers and landowners in the area.

Robert, who is also working with landowners in the development of the two new Water Level Management Boards in Cumbria said: "Farmers and landowners want to play their part in reducing the risk of flooding but there is a lack of detail in this paper as to how it can happen."

"It is widely agreed that initiatives such as storing water on farmland and planting more trees - as recommended in the report - can help alleviate flooding but this needs to be coupled with long term certainty of funding. EU funded Countryside Stewardship will not provide this."

"This report is a welcome first step but there is still a long way to go if we want to see any deliverable measures for farmers and landowners to contribute to flood alleviation."

You can read the original article from the Farming UK HERE

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