A MULTI-million pound flood defence scheme for the River Tees is expected to be given the go-ahead this week.

The plan for flood defences at Lustrum Beck, Stockton, will go before planning chiefs on Wednesday.

If it is approved, work will start on the £5m scheme by 2007.

Lustrum Beck was hit by significant floods in 2002, which affected Hartburn, Primrose Hill, Newtown and Oxbridge.

The new plan follows a multi-million pound flood defence scheme further up the Tees, in Yarm.

The application going before Stockton council combines a flood storage area with local defences at Oxbridge, Newtown and the Tilery.

The flood storage area would be at Hartburn, upstream of the town, and would only be used to hold water at times of flooding.

The final plan was agreed following consultation with residents by the Environment Agency, including a series of open days two years ago.

Concerns had been raised about the potential impact of the flood defences on local wildlife.

Populations of water voles have been identified along Moorhouse Beck and Brickhouse Beck, which fall within the proposed site.

The site also includes an area of archaeological interest, with a series of medieval fields with ridge and furrow earthworks falling within the proposed flood plain.

However, Robin Daniels, of Tees Archaeology, said it would not be objecting to the application.

He said that although the site was of local importance, it did not merit preservation.

He said: "What we have there are some remains of medieval farming. A full record of everything on site will be carried out before the development begins, but we don't feel the site is so important that it needs preserving in situ."

The £5m cost of the scheme is being met through a mix of Government grants and funding from the council.

Thomasin Turner, of the Environment Agency, said although construction was set to begin in 2007, this could change if Government money was reassigned elsewhere.

She said: "We are hoping it's 2007 and there's no reason to think otherwise, but this could be subject to change if it is decided the money is needed for a more pressing project elsewhere."