A FLOODING group is backing plans to spend up to £100m protecting Oxford over the coming century.

On Wednesday, the Environment Agency sent out more than 2,500 copies of a consultation document into a multi-million-pound strategy to safeguard the city from flooding for future generations.

It is the biggest consultation on flood risk management ever undertaken in the city, which suffered serious flooding in 2000, 2003 and 2007.

Members of the Oxford Flood Alliance said they were glad to see the Environment Agency’s proposals in the public domain.

Group spokesman Peter Rawcliffe, whose house flooded in 2000, said: “Oxford needs serious investment if flood risk is to be significantly reduced.

“The short-term measures currently being implemented are only a stop-gap. We look forward to public discussion of the proposals.”

At the heart of its proposals, the EA is planning to construct a relief channel west of the city, running from Botley Road to Sandford Lock, near Kennington.

Costing £100m, it would be “a combination of a newly excavated river channel and enlarged sections of the existing river system”.

Agency manager Geoff Bell, who is heading up the Oxford Flood Risk Management Strategy, said he wanted landowners, environmental groups, walkers and residents to take part in the consultation.

He said: “We need to hear from the public on what they want us to do. They are the local experts.

“Visitors to Oxford are often surprised to learn there are no formal flood defences for the city.

“Our proposals offer the opportunity to set that right.”

The aim of the proposed channel is to make better use of flood plains running north to south west of Oxford, and protect homes and businesses.

Mr Rawcliffe said: “There will no doubt be legitimate concerns such as to the possible impact on the landscape and the impact of construction.

“However, hopefully these can be resolved and a consensus developed around an appropriate scheme.”

As well as the channel, the agency is consulting the public on whether bunding – large earth barriers – could be built to protect the city or whether more portable defences, such as the £180,000 barriers recently bought for Osney Island, should be used.

The consultation document also suggests smaller projects to alleviate the risking of flooding and ways of protecting individual properties.

If the agency is able to secure funding, work on implementing the strategy could start by 2013.

To get a copy of the consultation document, visit environment-agency.gov.uk/oxfordflood tshepherd@oxfodrmail.co.uk