RESIDENTS will have the chance to quiz the Environmental Agency on Abingdon's flood defences and their latest proposals for a temporary flood barrier.

The meeting will take place in the Roysse Room of the Guildhall at 7pm next Thursday.

It comes after a flood storage area proposed to divert water from homes along the River Ock was scrapped over spiralling costs.

The EA had been working with Vale of White Horse District Council, Oxfordshire County Council and the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) on the plans, which centred around building a flood storage area at Abingdon Common.

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It was initially estimated to cost £5m, split between Vale and Government agency Thames RFCC. In January it was revealed new estimates put the true cost at £9.7m.

At a meeting in March Joanna Emberson Wines, project manager for both the Oxford and Abingdon Flood Alleviation schemes explained that a feasibility study showed not only would the storage area be more expensive to build, but that it would protect fewer homes than originally hoped, making it no longer viable.

Thursday's meeting has been organised by Abingdon Town Council.

Leader Samantha Bowring said: “Flooding and how its potential impact may be properly managed and reduced remains a major issue for the town. This council is keen that residents should be fully engaged with all plans on matters affecting the town."