NEARLY 2,000 homes and business across Eden are to be better protected from flooding and coastal erosion.

Penrith and The Border is set to benefit from £16,288,952 of investment as part of the Government’s £860 million investment to protect communities from flooding in 2021-22.

The Government has also pledged a record investment of £5.2 billion into protection from flooding and coastal erosion over the next six years.

1,947 more homes and businesses in Penrith and The Border are to benefit, according to the region's MP Neil Hudson.

“Flooding can devastate communities – too many homes and families in Penrith and The Border have sadly fallen victim to this, and so we must put the necessary protections in place to tackle it," he said.

"The flooding that communities such as Appleby, Warwick Bridge, and many other villages and towns in Penrith and The Border has faced in recent years has caused huge devastation.

“This will help to guard homes and families from the devastating impact of flooding, allowing people to feel reassured about the safety of their home.”

The funding will be accompanied by a consultation in the autumn, where the Government will look at how to better protect frequently flooded communities, following a call for evidence earlier this year.

It will consider how to strengthen the assessment of local circumstances, such as where areas have flooded on multiple occasions, when allocating funding during the six-year plan.