Drawings have been released to the Mercury showing how Sandwich will be protected from flood by 2015 thanks to a £25 million enterprise zone cash boost.

Mayor of Sandwich, Cllr Jeremy Watts, described the plans as "low-tech" but he is positive they will work provided the Environment Agency has got its sums right with measurements.

"This scheme is proven technology and similar projects have been successful in Belgium, the Netherlands and at Alkborough Flats in Humberside," he said. The favoured Sandwich flood defences scheme is in two parts – around the town and at farmland at Broad Salts, Worth.

Protection around the town includes a raised bank, which will be created from Vigo Sluice. The raised bank will end at the slipway on the quay where a metre-high wall will be built ending just past the Toll Bridge, by Aynsley Court.

Here it will meet another raised bank that stretches, on both sides of the Stour, to Richborough Roman Fort.

The second part involves the creation of a lagoon spillway at Broad Salts. In the event of a tidal surge, the lagoon will hold over-spilled water from the Stour until the tide returns to its normal level.

"The good thing about this scheme is there is no button pushing. It does it all itself." added Cllr Watts.

Although £25m has been pledged as part of the Pfizer enterprise zone announcement last month, planning permission is yet to be approved.

The EA is now at the detailed planning and land purchase stage.

Town clerk Tracey Ward expects there will be a public exhibition, giving residents the chance to view the plans before an application is made.

For the full story and to see the pictures, see this week's East Kent Mercury.