FLOOD defences to protect residents in Fulford have moved a step closer.

Cllr Andrew Waller, City of York Council’s executive member for the environment, has thrown his support behind plans to build flood alleviation works on the A19 to protect residents living in Fordlands Road and the new Germany Beck housing development from flooding.

This comes after 150 people signed a petition calling on the authority to protect Fordlands Road or provide them with an alternative route into their homes should more flooding hit York.

Cllr Waller backed the plans at his decision session meeting on Monday, however, it is unclear how the work will be funded or how much will be made available.

One option discussed at the meeting was approaching the Department for Transport for flood resilience funding.

Cllr Waller told the meeting: “It’s crystal ball gazing in terms of the amount of money that might be available, but if we set a goal it needs to be achievable.”

During the meeting, Cllr Keith Aspden, who handed in the petition on behalf of residents in March, urged Cllr Waller to back the plans.

He said: “It makes complete sense that at the same time Germany Beck is constructed we work with partners to solve flood problems once and for all rather than a piecemeal fashion.”

The A19 and Fordlands Road area flooded in the disasters of 2000 and 2015 because of high water levels on the River Ouse flowing backwards along Germany Beck.

Campaigners criticised developers for choosing the site to build 655 new homes on the 24 hectare piece of land and Julian Sturdy, MP for York Outer, has spoken about how the properties would put a “huge strain” on existing homes already at risk from flooding.

Ben Hughes, a representative for the Environment Agency - the body in charge of detailed flood prevention plans for York, said the group was behind the new flood alleviation scheme.

He said: “We fully support the work that’s going on and will do whatever we can to move it forward.

“There’s an opportunity at the moment to look at this in detail and reduce that risk for longer.

“The Environment Agency will support the council with that work and take it forward.”