MORE than 200 properties across Wirral will be ‘better protected’ from flood risks after a new cash boost from the Government.

The borough will receive a £670,000 share of £36m to improve flood defences on the Wallasey embankment with 226 homes set to benefit from the announcement, made by Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey on March 27.

An original coastal defence scheme was built to protect homes, businesses and transport links from the risk of flooding in Meols, Moreton and Leasowe.

The Government say that it is important to secure the Wallasey embankment as it safeguards shipping routes by preventing the River Mersey from forming a second exit channel.

Present defences will now be reinforced by extending the existing rock armour protection at the base of the embankment.

The Wallasey embankment is just one of 25 schemes across the UK expected to receive a share of funding announced in the Autumn Statement to improve flood protection.

Area flood risk manager Christian Wilcox said: “The improvement of the Wallasey embankment is an important step to ensure our local flood resilience.

“The new scheme, led by Wirral Council as the Coastal Protection Authority, will ensure Wallasey Embankment continues to provide protection to communities at risk from coastal flooding.

“We are delighted that funding has been made available for Wirral Council to undertake this scheme.”

When choosing the areas which will receive funding, the Government has worked with the Environment Agency to prioritise the areas that would get the most benefit – protecting an additional 3,000 properties from flooding and contributing more to the community.

Ms Coffey said: “This funding will benefit projects across the country from Hull to Gloucester, from Wolverhampton to Wirral, that need an extra boost for flood defences to help our communities continue to prosper and grow in the future.

“Not only will this investment make places more resilient against flooding, but it will help the local economy, enhance the natural environment and protect important areas of culture - whether it is the homes, businesses and cultural sites in Hull to the pier in Seahouses or the natural environment in Gloucester.”

Chief executive of the Environment Agency Sir James Bevan says that the extra funding will help their final ambition to ‘improve our environment’ and help restore ‘vital habitat’ to ‘bring nature back to urban communities’.

Total investment in flood defence schemes will be £2.6bn in 2021 when more than 1,500 flood defences will have been built to protect 300,000 homes across the UK.

A start date for the work has not yet been confirmed.