Flooding at the area around Goldrill Beck. Photo: John Malley

Conservation charity the National Trust is leading a plan to reduce flooding in a Lake District valley.

The trust said putting a series of bends back into a beck near Patterdale will help alleviate flooding on the only road through the area.

It is working with its tenant farmers to introduce the project south of Patterdale, where water from Goldrill Beck regularly floods the nearby A592 during periods of heavy rainfall.

The trust said the likely cost of the scheme is £350,000 and is consulting locally on the plan.

The Eden Catchment Management Group, the Environment Agency, Natural England and Cumbria County Council are also involved in the project.

A trust spokesperson said: “The plan is to put the bends back into Goldrill Beck, where it currently follows the A592 between Cow Bridge and Menneting Bridge.

“This means the river will meander away from the road, allowing it to spill on to surrounding land belonging to Howe Green and Beckstones farms during periods of high rainfall.

“Using farmland to store flood water will help to keep the road open, one of the few access routes in and out of the valley, and alleviate flooding further downstream. It will also create new opportunities for nature to flourish.”

Rebecca Powell, project manager for the National Trust, said: “The valley has suffered three major storm events in the last 10 years, including the catastrophic impact of Storm Desmond in 2015.

“Analysis by river restoration experts at [multinational engineering firm] Aecom says the flood peak could be significantly reduced if we can create a large area for storing flood water below Cow Bridge.

“We have been working with our tenant and Natural England to secure a countryside stewardship agreement to support the project which gives us a great opportunity to work with nature to make the valley more resilient. Allowing the wider landscape to absorb the effects of the weather should improve flood resilience, water quality and wildlife habitats.

“It’s also been important to hear from other stakeholders and we are holding a series of community events at the beginning of November.”

The plans have the support of the Patterdale Community Flood Group. Rob Shephard, chairman of Patterdale Parish Council and a member of the flood group said: “We have been working closely with the National Trust since Storm Desmond on a number of projects to reduce our community’s exposure to future flood risk.

“We are very excited about the Goldrill Beck scheme as this will provide multiple benefits to the community including increased water storage for Goldrill Beck and most importantly in reducing the risk of flood damage to our one and only road, the A592, at Hartsop.”

Once all permissions are in place, work is expected to start next spring with an anticipated completion in autumn 2019.