A BROMSGROVE councillor has voiced his hopes for flood defence work to begin in Callowbrook Lane in Rubery.

Labour councillor Peter McDonald has been campaigning to alleviate flooding in the area for over a decade, and a flood defence project is now due to go before the planning committee at Bromsgrove District Council for approval on Monday, March 30.

Cllr McDonald said: “I am very pleased that at a meeting of residents and officers from North Water Management, Worcestershire County Council, Severn Trent and Bromsgrove District Council, a flood defence project was put forward that had the agreement of everyone concerned.

“The project comprises of the development of two balancing ponds which in very bad storms will store excess volumes of water and when the storm passes the water flows back into Callow Brook.

“Campaigning for some form of flood defence has been going on for nearly twenty years and this is a major success for all those involved who never ever gave up.

“It will mean to many residents, that when there is a storm they can now sleep soundly, not having to be awake, not knowing if they are to abandon their properties or not. The last time properties were flooded some could not return for a whole year, hopefully that should shortly be a thing of the past.”

If the Flood Defence Project receives approval at the end of March, work could begin in Rubery shortly afterwards.