15,000 homes are set to benefit from £35m flood defence investment

Keadby Pumping Station near Scunthorpe will be upgraded as part of the plan. Construction is set to get underway from mid-April.

The improvements will see the facility’s diesel pumps replaced by more reliable and efficient electric versions.

As well as reducing flood risk, the new pumps will also lessen the station’s carbon footprint and are designed to be safe for fish and eels.

Keadby Pumping Station is used to manage water levels across the Isle of Axholme, South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire.

The facility helps reduce the risk of flooding by transferring flood water from the ‘Three Rivers’ into the River Trent during high tides.

The pumping station reduces flood risk to more than 15,000 homes, 30,000 hectares of high-grade agricultural land, businesses, internationally important habitats, and critical infrastructure such as transport links, a power station and Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said: “The Isle of Axholme will benefit greatly from this £35m government funding which will better protect the local community from flooding for years to come.

“I am pleased to see the plan will not only bring more protection against flooding, but also have environmental benefits for wildlife and improve the health of the rivers in the area.”