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Planned defences for thousands of properties that were hit by devastating floods seven years ago when the Thames burst its banks have moved forward.

The government has approved a business case for the 拢500m River Thames Scheme with detailed planning work to begin.

A statement from the River Thames Scheme partnership said it would reduce the risk for 11,000 homes and 1,600 businesses in Surrey and London.

However, part of the scheme covering Berkshire is no longer going ahead.

About 1,000 Surrey homes were flooded and 600 properties were evacuated when the Thames burst its banks in February 2014, following 14 severe flood warnings on the river.

The statement said two new flood channels would be built alongside the Thames to protect Hythe End, Egham, Staines, Chertsey, Shepperton, Weybridge, Sunbury, Molesey, Thames Ditton, Kingston and Teddington - but a third channel in Berkshire was no longer being taken forward.

The government is providing 拢285m in funding for the scheme and this announcement unlocks the first 拢60m.

Surrey County Council is supporting the scheme through the 拢270m flood alleviation programme and other authorities and financial partners are involved, the statement said.
Floods minister Rebecca Pow said the scheme would be treated as a nationally significant infrastructure project in order to streamline planning and authorisation.

She said this would "ensure that communities along the river can get the protection they need as quickly as possible".

MPs in Surrey and the county council leader welcomed the announcement.

Council leader Tim Oliver said communities could look forward to "a brighter future" - while Runnymede and Weybridge MP Dr Ben Spencer said it was "a huge milestone".

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, the MP for Esher and Walton, said many residents would remember the 2014 floods, adding: "This scheme will help to protect thousands of local homes and businesses from that level of disruption in the future."

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