Malton and Norton's flood defence scheme faces one of its last major hurdles tonight when it goes before district planners.

And it has emerged that the £4 million Environment Agency project could include defences up to 3m (9.8ft) high.

The proposals will be considered by Ryedale District Council's central area planning committee.

If councillors give the go-ahead, the 12-month scheme could start by the end of this year.

Members of the committee have to decide whether the proposals in their present form are suitable.

Councillors could decide the scheme is inappropriate and force delays by demanding a complete rethink. But if just a few aspects of the proposal are deemed inappropriate, councillors could decide to give the thumbs-up with conditions that certain aspects are altered.

The plans were drawn up after Malton, Norton and Old Malton were devastated last November by their second major flood in less than two years.

The Evening Press campaign to Save Ryedale from Flooding secured a major victory when the Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee decided earlier this year to make funding available for the project.

The proposals involve complete flood defences stretching 4.5 miles along the River Derwent from the A64 north of the town to Cherry Tree Farm in the south.

In Old Malton, where homes and businesses were badly hit when the Derwent broke its banks last year, the proposal is for the building of new embankments next to existing ones.

In Malton and Norton, defences will be a mix of reinforced concrete retaining walls, earth embankments and steel sheet piling to run parallel with the river.

In some parts of the town, such as Norton Ings, the embankments will be 3m high.

Meanwhile, the plans suggest that existing parapets at County Bridge will be modified.

A pumping station will be built below ground level under Norton Road with a control kiosk located on the footpath.

Temporary footpaths will be provided as alternative routes while work is going on.

The planning application puts forward some strong arguments to convince councillors of the importance of the scheme - with the human factor top of the list.

Updated: 11:52 Tuesday, August 14, 2001