THE Government has pledged more than £2million to help avert a repeat of the flooding crisis that hit residents in a Basingstoke suburb.

On Tuesday, the Treasury announced that it would give £2.3billion to communities affected by flooding last winter – and the Buckskin area is among those that will benefit from the cash injection.

A total of 87 homes were evacuated in Grampian Way, Exmoor Close, Bodmin Close, Antrim Close, Prescelly Close, Quantock Close, Sperrin Close, and Holyrood Court after February 8 when properties were hit by groundwater flooding which was contaminated with raw sewage.

An independent report published by Hampshire County Council in July revealed that a dormant spring, which became active, was part of the reason the area flooded, and experts concluded that surface water drainage needed to be reviewed to understand the underlying cause of the flooding.

The Government has now announced that it will award £2,090,000 for measures to help avert possible future flooding incidents in Buckskin, to add to £200,000 that has been earmarked by Hampshire County Council.

Stephen Reid, Hampshire county councillor for Basingstoke North West, said that the money could be spent on a “sump pumping” solution, which would see water collected through a hole in the ground and pumped away from Buckskin underground.

Cathie Wyatt, co-chair of the Buckskin flood action group, told The Gazette that she is “over the moon” about the cash boost.

She said: “It’s great news, and I guess one of the big things is to ensure it is used in the right way, in the right place, for the right reasons.

“I think it is really good that as well as people who have been given a massive amount of money across the country, a place like Buckskin hasn’t been forgotten. That for me is quite emotional.

“It is great to think that we are thought about, and it gives us hope.”

The 51-year-old Bodmin Close resident added: “I think that sump pumping would be a great idea. We all know that replacing the main drainage would be the ideal solution, and it is the only guaranteed way that would stop Buckskin going under again, but we know that millions of pounds would be needed for that, and it is not going to be there.”

Reacting to the cash injection, Cllr Reid said: “It is excellent news. I was not expecting Buckskin to get anything, and I thought the Government announcement on Tuesday was going to be mainly aimed at flooding caused by rivers.

“We will have to look at what engineering solutions can be made within the budget, and it will require some careful thought.

“It might be that the solution isn’t actually in Buckskin but somewhere away from that because it could ease the pressure on the water table. What we need to do is find the best way of producing a beneficial effect for the people of Buckskin.”

Basingstoke MP Maria Miller said: “It is good news that this funding has been allocated to help mitigate flooding in Buckskin in the future. The difficulty is in finding a solution to the groundwater problem.

“I will continue to press the Government for this money to be made available as soon as possible, and for any other help that can be given to address the problem in Buckskin.”

Cllr Paul Harvey, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Basingstoke and deputy Labour group leader on the borough council, welcomed the funding but said the money needs to be spent in the right way.

He said: “We will be looking for real action to support the residents. They have been through sheer hell and they are worried as they go into another winter.

“The residents need certainty, and while money has been allocated, there is no scheme specifically identified in the action plan at the moment.”

As well as funding for the Buckskin area, the Government is providing £15,000 for the Candover Brook area and £10,000 for the Deane and Cole Henley areas of the Upper Test, near Whitchurch.