THE estimated cost of new flood defences for York has doubled to £23 million - and some schemes could be delayed by up to seven years.

Only 12 months ago, the Environment Agency's long-term plan envisaged a start on projects between Clifton and Naburn Weir in 2007/08, at a "guide cost" of £9 million.

But following revision, the plan now pencils in a start date of 2010/11 - at a guide price of £18.2 million.

In addition, the South Esplanade area, where dozens of properties were flooded in November 2000, has seen a possible start on work put back from 2005/06 to 2012/13, with the estimated cost soaring from £2.5 million to £5 million.

Residents campaigning for defences in that area, situated between Ouse Bridge and Skeldergate Bridge, were today shocked to hear the news.

"I am horrified," said Anthony Crawshaw, a member of the Central York Flood Action Group, which is campaigning for defences.

"I have been flooded three times since I moved there in 1987, and have had to move my furniture upstairs on many occasions."

He said he had been told by agency officers that the area rated very few points in a new agency scoring system intended to decide which schemes should be prioritised.

But he said the system took no account of the damage to York's tourist economy of pictures being flashed around the world of a flooded Kings Staith and Kings Arms pub.

He said an officer had told him demountable (moveable) defences were planned in the Staith area.

The estimated costs had risen sharply after the agency had inspected similar defences installed at Bewdley, on the River Severn, and discovered the bill was much higher than had been expected. News of the delays comes only days after the agency revealed that because of extra Government funding, spending on defences across the region is set to rise to more than half-a-billion pounds over the coming decade.

An agency spokesman said the York guide costs had been drawn up after more information had become available, and reflected changing costs of construction and different types of scheme.

It did not take into account a new computer flood model for the Ouse which will help assess risk of future flooding disasters - the results of which are set to be made public later this year.

York MP Hugh Bayley said today he would continue to fight for York flood defences to be made a priority.

"We cannot assume that we won't have more serious flooding like those in 2000," he said.

"The costings are very broad estimates. We have no idea what the real costs will be until detailed designs are done."

lYorkshire Water today dismissed fears of another drought crisis, despite the recent weeks of dry, sunny weather.

Drought led to major restrictions on water use in the summer of 1995. But the company said reservoirs were about 94 per cent full after a relatively wet winter, and staff had also been doing work to reduce leakage from the network.

Updated: 11:14 Monday, April 14, 2003