PLANS have been submitted for a new pumping station next to Germany Beck that City of York Council says represents a 'major step forward' in a £5.3 million upgrade of Fulford's flood defences.

The plans include a 10 metre-long offline pumping station just south of Germany Beck and east of the A19, as well as a 'new floodwall alignment' across the Germany Beck to the west of the A19 and two new flood embankments, one east of the A19 and one south of Landing Lane.

The council says the new pumping station will 'directly protect 43 properties from current flood risks and the impacts of climate change, ensure that more than 300 properties are able to access Fordlands Road and add further resilience to the A19 flood works safeguarding more than 16,000 daily journeys on the A19 in times of flood'.

The pumping station has been designed with a 'fish friendly' pump after the discovery of a small number of protected European Eels. This starts and stops slowly, so that the eels are not drawn into propeller blades.

York Press: Fulford Road closed by flooding on December 28, 2015Fulford Road closed by flooding on December 28, 2015 (Image: Newsquest)

Last year’s city council budget agreed a £2 million investment in the delivery of a 'joined up flood scheme' for Fulford and Germany Beck costing £5.3 million in total. The rest of the funding will come from the council’s capital funding, the Environment Agency and Defra.

City council leader Keith Aspden, who is a local councillor for Fulford, said: "The frequent floods over many years continue to highlight the need for an improved and joined-up flood plan for Fulford.

"This plan must protect Germany Beck as well as the Fordlands Road and Fordlands Crescent communities, in addition to the thousands of motorists on the A19. .

"Alongside local residents and parish councillors, I have campaigned for years to deliver a solution for the benefit of the whole local community.

"Extensive work has taken place to get to this point where a planning application is now submitted. This is a major step towards delivering a solution which will protect hundreds of properties in the area, finally ending the significant challenges that frequent floods have brought to our community."

York Press: An aerial image of flooding on the A19 at Fulford in 2000An aerial image of flooding on the A19 at Fulford in 2000 (Image: Other)

Cllr Aspden added that with the project now in the planning stages, feedback from locals was vital. “Further local meetings to update residents on the progress of the project will take place over the next few months and I encourage residents to get involved and give their views," he said.

Full details of the planning application can be found on the council's planning portal here. Comments can be submitted online until March 15.

It emerged last year that the pumping station was having to be specially designed to protect European Eels, which are a critically endangered species.

An Environment Agency spokeswoman confirmed to the Press that during initial survey work, a 'small number' of the eels had been found.

“All flood defence schemes and pumping operations have to meet strict regulations to help protect the European Eel, which is an important and endangered species," she said.