A £289,000 project to protect Keswick properties from flooding near a housing estate built three years ago has been supported by Cumbria County Council.

The council’s local committee for Allerdale agreed at a virtual meeting held on Microsoft Teams on Wednesday to contribute £64,840 from its minor drainage budget for work on the road next to the Calvert Way development.

The remainder of the £288,933 required to complete the scheme will be paid for by the housing developer, Atkinson Builders, and a £20,000 Defra grant will also help to cover the costs.

Amber Sykes, the local area highways network manager, told the committee they would be funding work on the highway in front of the development rather than on the estate, where what was initially supposed to be a sustainable drainage system is now set to be replaced with a traditional system due to issues which have been experienced on the site.

She said: “This will enable at least three properties in the vicinity of the site to be protected from any future flooding problems.

“It will have an added benefit to drainage issues on Brundholme Road in Keswick as well.

“The scheme itself has got support from the local member for Keswick, Keswick Flood Action Group and the Lake District National Park Authority.”

Members were warned that the funding shortfall if members did not commit the contribution could mean the scheme would not be completed.

Councillor Alan Barry, who moved from chair to vice-chair at the start of the meeting with Councillor Tony Markley elected the new chair, moved approval of the recommendation.

He said: “The member of Keswick unfortunately is going to be slightly late so I would like to, on his behalf, support the funding.

“It is important that we get this road sorted out; there have been a lot of problems there over the years and this is the way to solve it, with partners.

“I would move that we commit the money to have the work done.”

The meeting began with a minute's silence to remember people who have died during the coronavirus pandemic.

The nominations of a new chair and vice-chair were then completed.