FLOOD defence plans for Kendal and the surrounding villages were laid out by the Environment Agency at two public drop-in meetings.

People were invited to consider suggestions for river walls, embankments, upstream flood storage and drainage channels.

The EA will take any feedback from the meetings and the information to draw up its planning proposals, which will be presented to the public for consultation again later in the year.

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Speaking at the meeting Craig Cowperthwaite, flood risk management officer for the EA, said: "What is on show here is an insight into the shortlist of options for flood management we are considering for Kendal, Staveley, Burneside and the surrounding areas.

"They are just suggestions for now, and we are inviting feedback from the local people who will be affected.

"We are suggesting a combination of options based around how best to control the flow of water through Kendal."

The options outlined at the meeting included a low wall of between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres along the River Kent. This would run all the way from near the A6 near the Mintsfeet industrial estate, through Kendal, down Aynam and Romney roads to Helsington Mills.

They would be set at different points back from the river and there would by openings for for people to gain to access to the waterway and the promenade and footpath areas along its banks.

The height of the walls will be determined by upstream storage in the form of grass banks which would contain engineering means to hold water back and release it at the recommended rate. The EA will consult with landowners before deciding where to place these.

It was also suggested that the pipes for the three tributaries at Stock Beck be widened to allow more water to flow through.

A diversion channel would also be situated slightly north of Sandylands, to take run off from the fells and direct it towards the river Mint rather than into Stock Beck.

Plans also suggested linear defences in Staveley, Burneside and Ings, and a potential pump station at Gooseholme.

"We agree with everything they are proposing, as long as they do it all," said Maggie Mason, founder of the Kendal Flood Action Group. "We think that they have listened to us about Stock Beck and that they are thinking carefully about the problem.

"However, the plans do not seem to cater for potential increased rainfall due to climate change. We need to make sure that they are developing plans that don't just deal with the problems as they are now, but also works in the future."

Ian Kell, a member of the action group, was less convinced, and told the Gazette: "I do not think they have gone as far as I hoped they would.

"These measures would only prepare us for a once in every 200 years level of flooding.

"We need measures that would help us cope with another Storm Desmond, and these would not do that.

"Rather than presenting options and asking the public what they think, like they are doing here, I would rather experts told us definitively what the best method was."