The Environment Agency has secured £1.8million of funding to protect 133 homes and businesses in the Silk Stream catchment from flooding.

The Silk Stream catchment, in the North London boroughs of Harrow and Barnet, has suffered from frequent flooding. In fact, the project to find a solution began in 1992 after 293 properties were flooded in Edgware.

Funding was agreed on Thursday 12 April at the Environment Agency's Regional Flood Defence Committee. The last stage of the Silk Stream flood alleviation scheme, which had been on hold since last year as funding was sought, will now start this summer upstream of Edgwarebury Park and at Bury Farm.

The funding means the Environment Agency can complete the last stage of an extensive project involving six flood storage areas providing improved protection to 746 properties.

The work at Edgewarebury Park and Bury Farm will take approximately six months to build the storage areas. Once complete the Environment Agency will begin extensive landscaping and habitat creation in the area for wildlife and people. This will include the creation of small ponds and wetland areas to encourage wildlife habitat.

Once operational, this will provide flood alleviation to 133 properties along the Edgewarebury Brook.

The original project was approved by Defra in March 2003 and four of the six proposed flood storage areas have been completed. These have protected 613 properties along the Edgware Brook, Deans Brook and Silk Stream within the Edgware area.

Environment Agency asset systems technical specialist Dak Gor said: "This is great news for many homes and businesses in Edgware. Of course, if you live in the floodplain you will never be without risk, but this project will decrease the risk of flooding.

"When the scheme is finished the Environment Agency's work will have given an improved standard of protection to 746 properties and enhanced the environment for the local wildlife and people."

The flood storage areas are designed to hold floodwaters in times of heavy rain to prevent the rivers bursting their banks and flooding homes and businesses. The standard of flood protection will be improved to a minimum of 1 in 25 year chance (or 4 per cent chance of flooding in a year) of flooding. Most areas will now be protected to an improved 1 in 100 year (or 1 per cent chance in a year) of flooding.

To find out the flood risk in your area log on to the Environment Agency's website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk or call Floodline on 0845 988 1188 for advice on to find out how to prepare for flooding.