A plan to protect parts of the region vulnerable to flooding has been approved by the Environment Agency.

The £378m plan was given the go-ahead by the organisation's regional Flood Defence Committee yesterday, which sets its priorities for the coming decade.

Many of the projects to benefit have been conceived since the floods of 1999 and 2000 - some of which have also qualified for grants from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

"This plan sets out the committee's long-term commitment to protect people's homes and businesses from flooding, and is good news for those communities at risk," said committee chairman Professor Roy Ward.

As well as committing cash to new flood defences, the committee also sanctioned a £4.6m boost for the Environment Agency's flood defence maintenance programme in Yorkshire, as well as the investment of £1.6m in technology to improve the flood warning system in the region.

The decision needs to be ratified by the Government and will be submitted to Defra for final approval.