the FUTURE safety of Tavistock residents and businesses next to the River Tavy is being considered at the top level.

The Environment Agency (EA) and Tavistock Town Council and partners are concerned that the town centre is potentially not fully prepared or protected from flooding.

The Tavy is one of the fastest flowing rivers in the country with a large water level range.

Although the town has not suffered a major flood since 1890, the council says more extreme weather events linked to climate change, means a protection schemes be drawn up urgently. The EA has agreed to draw up a flood risk report based on sophisticated modelling.

The town council raised the issue with the EA while planning critical work to repair the 150-year-old river bank Market Road wall which retains the road. The work aims to prevent subsidence and perhaps stop high level river water leaking onto the road.

The council believed the wall was a flood defence and repair work remains a priority to protect people and buildings.

However, the EA said the wall is not a designated flood defence and would not effectively stop flood water.

The EA said: ‘The historic wall in Market Road is a private wall and is the responsibility of its owner, Tavistock Town Council. It is not an Environment Agency flood defence asset.

‘While the wall provides some flood protection to buildings immediately surrounding the town hall, it does not provide reliable protection for the town due to its construction and condition.

‘We are in the early stages of working with partners to find a long-term solution to reduce flood risk in Tavistock.’

A report by the council says that to bring the Market Road riverside to a proper flood defence standard would cost millions of pounds and that would require bodies such as the EA to deliver it.

The report adds: ‘However, as a responsible public authority and landowner, the council will seek to do what it reasonably can do to protect the surrounding area, visitors, and occupiers from flood risk.

‘The EA takes the view the boundary wall on the river bank is unlikely to provide protection were a flood to put pressure on it. Also, that its design is incapable of meeting the criteria needed to be an effective flood defence.’

The report says therefore, the most appropriate work to the wall should be limited to safety and maintenance.

The council is seeking funding for the wall’s repair and, depending on the EA’s flood risk report, inclusion of the site within any necessary flood defence.