PLANS to protect Bewdley from flooding could see a glass-panelled wall installed at Beales Corner.

The Environment Agency is examining proposals for permanent defences on the Wribbenhall bank of the River Severn after more than 70 properties were evacuated during the devastating floods caused by Storms Ciara and Dennis in February.

The style of flood defences proposed are similar to those used in Upton-upon-Severn - a low brick wall with glass panels above and demountable elements.

Plans are expected to cost in the region of £4.3 million and must pass an economic test that the property being protected is equal to, or greater than, the cost of the protection.

Kidderminster Shuttle: Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the town in March and promised to "get Bewdley done"Prime Minister Boris Johnson visited the town in March and promised to "get Bewdley done"

Of the 45 properties in Wribbenhall that are eligible for property flood resilience (PFR), previously known as property level protection, 39 will be protected by the proposed measures, with the remaining six set to receive enhanced PFR and temporary barriers.

Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier said: "I am incredibly grateful to the team at the Environment Agency. Not only did they do an incredible job during the flooding, where local factors, especially heavy local rain in the Beales Brooke catchment area, meant the flooding was unpredictable and incredibly heavy, but they have worked at pace to come up with improved solutions for longer term resilience.

“I, together with my local councillors, will be working with them to secure the best practical outcome for the town, but with a bill of £4.3 million to pay, I will be focussing my efforts on securing the funding for this.

"The Environment Agency and local partners will pick up some of the cost, but the bulk will need to come from central government.

“I am also working with my MP colleagues who represent constituencies all along the Severn catchment area to work up regional plans to help planning across the whole of the flood plain come to fruition.

"The Severn is the longest river in the UK and provides water for, I believe, seven million people."

Worcestershire county councillor for Wribbenhall, Ian Hardiman, added: “I will be calling on the county council to also support this fantastic step forward for the affected residents of Wribbenhall, who have experienced an exceptionally difficult year in recovering from the floods in February.”

Around 300 residents and business owners were affected by February's floods in Wyre Forest, with more than 100 houses and 35 businesses suffering internal flooding and several families still unable to return to their homes several months later.

A council investigation into the floods concluded in October that "earlier deployment [of barriers] on Severnside South could have saved a number of properties from flooding".

Residents at Beales Corner, where temporary barriers were overtopped, have been fighting for permanent defences for seven years.

Kidderminster Shuttle: Flood water overtopped the temporary flood defences in Bewdley in February. A view of the temporary flood defences in Bewdley. Photo by Joe Giddens/PAFlood water overtopped the temporary flood defences in Bewdley in February. A view of the temporary flood defences in Bewdley. Photo by Joe Giddens/PA

Irene Buxton, who was forced to live upstairs for 10 weeks while her flood-damaged home was repaired, said residents "won't stop fighting" until permanent barriers are installed.

She told The Shuttle: "Glass walls would be good for Bewdley. They've got them in Upton and it works for them so why shouldn't it work for us?

"Of course it's a worry with winter coming that it could happen again. We need to know what type of barriers we're getting.

"It's been seven years pushing for these permanent defences and we won't stop fighting until we get them."