Town councillors look set to award over £35,000 to a natural flood defence project in Kenilworth.

The scheme, run by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust in partnership with Finham Brook Flood Action Group, is already underway, aiming to reduce the peak height of water in the brook after heavy rain.

The project is specifically hoping to reduce the threat of flooding at houses, at the Castle Road and Rouncil Lane fords, and Odibourne Allotments.

An application for funding submitted to Kenilworth Town Council's general finance and services committee said it "is essential to work across the upstream catchment of the brooks" to reduce flood risk in the town.

A number of sites have already been earmarked for creating pools and natural barriers to ease the flow of water during heavy rain.

And the scheme found great support from members at last week's committee meeting.

Cllr John Dearing said: "I think we shouldn't underestimate the impact of flooding. 

"We do only see these extreme events rarely but those extreme events are going to get more common. 

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"The environment agency continues to raise demands for protecting ourselves against flooding."

The natural defences are aimed at reducing flooding in the Castle Lane ford (image by James Smith)

While Cllr James Kennedy added: "I am completely supportive of this. 

"And just to note it is really good to have an infrastructure project that doesn't involve any pouring of concrete. 

"We always assume that infrastructure is paving things over and about walls and more concrete. 

"But we can also have good, beneficial natural structures that benefit the natural world."

The application had been for £69,200 to help fund two years of the project.

But councillors instead voted to recommend that just the first year be funded from the council's CIL budget - but said the trust should come back next year with another application.

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The funding must now be approved by the full council before it is handed over to the trust.

Cllr Andrew Milton explained: "It's not a reflection on how I feel about the scheme, I think the scheme is a very good one. 

"I am just thinking about cash flow. 

"I propose that we just fund the first year out of what we have now, and that we ask them to come back later."

Councillors voted by 11 votes to three to recommend that the full council give the part award of £35,700.