Kendal residents are being urged to prepare for potential winter flooding, amidst ongoing progress on new flood defences.

The flood awareness call has come from the Environment Agency as it continues to make strides on the town’s flood defences project which, upon completion, anticipates the protection of more than 1,400 homes and 1,100 businesses.

Upcoming work includes the installation of state-of-the-art glass flood defence panels across the town.

The River Kent is categorised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), so work can only be done in the river between July and September to protect the rivers habitat.

Despite the narrow time window, the Environment Agency has completed significant work this summer, including the construction of two working platforms at Waterside and conducting in-river works at Gooseholme.

These set working platforms and a temporary access bridge at Waterside, in combination with the in-river structure at Gooseholme, have been proven by modelling to have no significant impact on flood risk to properties in Kendal.

The natural flood plains of Beezon Fields and Mintsfeet are in play to ease water pressure and slow down the water flow through Kendal.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "We have made significant progress over the summer, and work has been completed at Waterside Flats, Sand Aire House, Lambrigg Terrace and Little Aynam."

"Though we are no longer working within the river, which is in line with environmental regulations, we continue to work throughout the winter months on the scheme.

"Over half of the linear flood defences are set back from the riverside.

“The working platforms, built during the summer, enable work to continue on the flood walls at Waterside without having to go into the river.

“Work in-river will start again in July 2024, when we have a new programme of work to deliver the flood scheme for Kendal.”

Residents and businesses are encouraged to stay alert and best prepare for potential flooding.

These precautions can include signing up to the free Flood Warning Service and perfecting personal flood crisis plans.

To date, just half of the eligible properties have signed up to receive these crucial flood warnings in Kendal.

For those residents keen on knowing more about the ongoing flood scheme, the Kendal Flood Scheme Information Hub is open every Tuesday and Thursday on Little Aynam from 10am till 4.30pm.

Here, interested parties can ask queries and get more insight into the progress and operations of the initiative.