THE total cost of the scheme to protect Stamford Bridge from flooding has risen again - to an estimated £3.1 million.

The flood defences, given Government financial backing only last week, were originally expected to cost about a million pounds.

The anticipated bill had soared by last July to £2.6 million.

An Environment Agency report to a meeting today of the Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee reveals that the price has increased again by another £500,000, because over-optimistic assumptions had been made last year.

Compensation estimates had now increased, as had the costs of fees for design, environmental advice and site supervision.

The rising costs were partly because of the need to pay for additional design work to investigate protecting both banks of the river from flooding.

At one stage, the agency only intended defending one side but changed its plans in the wake of protests to Ministers.

Agency officers said the need for defences remained unchanged, with a one-in-five chance of flooding to properties in the village centre in any single year.

Officers urged the committee to approve the expenditure, allowing work to start next month and the defences to be watertight in time for the next winter flooding season.

The soaring bill for the project mirrors one for another flood defence scheme further up the River Derwent at Malton and Norton. That was originally estimated to cost £4.1 million, but the agency revealed last year that the final bill was likely to reach £6.3 million.

Meanwhile, officers said today that proposals for flood defences at Pickering were expected to be submitted to the committee for approval next January.

Plans to defend the town from flooding by the beck have stalled in recent times following disagreements over the design and the impact on the picturesque town.

Flood defence schemes for Riccall Ings were set to be submitted this April and for Selby in July, while one for Ripon was likely to be submitted in 2004/2005.

The agency said "pre-feasibility studies" were being proposed at South Esplanade in York later this year, and for the stretch of Ouse between Clifton and Naburn weir over the coming year.

Updated: 09:14 Thursday, April 10, 2003