FLOOD alleviation plans over four years in the making have taken a vital step forward this week.

The £6.24m Buckskin Flood Alleviation Scheme was given the green light by Hampshire County Council executive member for environment and transport Councillor Rob Humby at a meeting on Tuesday.

As reported in The Gazette, in the winter of 2013/2014, dozens of families had to evacuate their homes in Buckskin, after groundwater contaminated with raw sewage flooded their properties.

The approval means the county council will proceed with the scheme which will be introduced in two phases.

A report from the meeting reads: "The scheme is to be procured in two phases based on the different requirements, constraints and traffic/pedestrian management needs.

"Phase one will consist of upgrades and enhancement of the capacity of ditches and culverts from Saunders Field, along Churchill Way West up to Worting Road Roundabout.

"Phase two will consist of ditch works to enhance natural flood storage in Saunders Field, works to the subway near McDonald's, and new lateral drainage to collect and connect rising ground water from between houses in the Buckskin area to a new surface water gravity pipe.

"The pipe will be installed between the Ridgeway Centre on the Buckskin estate and the start of the existing winterbourne ditch to the north of Worting Road Roundabout."

The aim is to start work on phase one by summer this year and have this part of the scheme completed and ready by Christmas 2018.

It is anticipated that the second page will begin in the autumn of this year 2018 and be completed by summer 2019.

The scheme is to be funded by Hampshire County Council, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Flood Defence Grant in Aid funding and the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee local levy.

Overall, the county council will provide £2.04m of funding, the borough council will supply £250,000, £2.2m will come from the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee local levy and £1.75m will be supplied by Flood Defence Grant in Aid.

The report adds: "On completion, the scheme will provide the following benefits: a significant reduction in the risk of flooding to properties in Buckskin; a reduction in the loss of access in amenities due to flooding events; a reduction of costs, distress and disruption associated with the recovery from flooding events; increased ability of residents to acquire competitive insurance and mortgage packages; increased ability of residents to sell their properties at market rates; and enhanced community well-being and resilience."