RESIDENTS of some of York's most prestigious waterfront properties are celebrating after it was announced that experts will investigate flood defences for their area.

The Environment Agency (EA) has revealed that £100,000 has been set aside to fund research into defending city centre properties between Ouse Bridge and Skeldergate Bridge from the River Ouse.

The announcement comes despite suggestions last year that the area might never qualify as suitable for flood protection under new Government funding criteria.

Homeowners said they feared they would have "dropped off the list" if York MP Hugh Bayley had not approached the EA on their behalf, resulting in the agency reassessing their eligibility.

The money will be used to look at the viability of installing a flood defence scheme for South Esplanade and surrounding streets. Rupert Hildyard, of nearby Friars Terrace, who is a member of the newly-formed Central York Flood Action Group, said it was "good news" that site investigations were going to take place. He said the area's historical buildings deserved protection from the River Ouse which had devastated properties in November 2000.

"If everything goes smoothly a possible construction starting time would be 2005 or 2006, but it would not be finished until 2007 or later," he said. An agency spokesman confirmed today that £100,000 had been set aside to investigate flood defences for properties between Ouse Bridge and Skeldergate Bridge.

He denied the area had ever been struck off the list of possible future flood defence schemes, saying it was on a ten-year list of possible capital expenditure projects.

Meanwhile, flooding will come under the spotlight at a York council discussion seminar from 5pm on Tuesday.

The one-hour seminar, which is open to the public, will give councillors an opportunity to hear what has been done since November 2000 to make the city better prepared to deal with a severe flood.

Updated: 12:39 Friday, January 10, 2003