THE shock decision to halt a major defence project because of soaring costs will be debated at Westminster this week.

Work on new flood defence systems for Pickering, in North Yorkshire, were due to begin last month when the Environment Agency suddenly announced that the plans were being put on hold.

The cost of the scheme, which had been ordered after the town suffered a number of devastating floods in the last decade, had almost trebled from £1.2 million to £3.2 million.

The agency intended to create a series of flood storage areas but said the requirements of the Reservoirs Act 1975, combined with the complex nature of the site, had led to the cost of the scheme soaring.

The decision to cancel the work was condemned by politicians, councillors and local residents.

Anne McIntosh, Tory MP for Thirsk, Malton and Filey, said she had secured a Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday to highlight the implications of the delays.

She said: "I am delighted to have secured this debate. I will have 15 minutes to raise the delay and make the case for the Pickering Slow The Flow scheme."