COMPREHENSIVE solutions must be found urgently to deal with three newly-identified flood risk areas in West Somerset, local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger warned this week. 

Mr Liddell-Grainger said homes and businesses in Minehead, Carhampton and Roadwater now needed to be classed as being at higher risk of flooding directly as a result of changing weather patterns.

More than 40 properties in the three communities were flooded as a result of a morning’s torrential rain in September, the heaviest since July, 1969, when a number of local roads were also closed.

Mr Liddell-Grainger has already met Environment Agency officials to discuss the incidents and said it was clear mitigation schemes needed to be drawn up and implemented.

He said: “What we saw in September is exactly the kind of intense and localised rainfall that was predicted would occur as one of the effects of climate change.

“Unfortunately, the effect of that is to thrust into the firing line communities such as Minehead, Carhampton, and Roadwater, where there is a very rapid run-off from steep, high hillsides.

“The likelihood is that flash flooding of the kind we saw in September will become more frequent so we need to look for solutions which will give such places the best possible long-term protection.

“I am pleased to have had an early opportunity to discuss these new circumstances with the Environment Agency and will be keeping in very close touch with them on this issue.”