WORK has finally started on a £2.5 million upgrade to flood defences in York city centre, three and a half years after the Boxing Day flooding of 2015.

The milestone project - part of a £45 million Government investment in flood alleviation across York after the 2015 disaster - has got underway in the North Street, Lendal Bridge and Memorial Gardens area.

The Environment Agency says it will reduce flooding risks for about 60 properties in North Street, Wellington Row, Rougier Street, George Hudson Street and areas around Leeman Road/Station Avenue and the gardens.

A spokesman said the scheme - due for completion by the end of the year - included raising the existing flood wall along North Street by up to 30cm and raising the height of the floodgate under Lendal Bridge by 30cm, with an additional 15cm demountable panel for extreme events.

A new flood wall up to 70cm high will be constructed along Leeman Road from Westgate Apartments to a new embankment in the York City Rowing Club grounds, with demountable barriers at access points.

Demountable barriers will also be available to use across entrances to the gardens.

He added that a site compound was now being constructed in Tanner Row opposite the Maltings pub and a section of Leeman Road used as a coach stop, next to the gardens, would be closed during the work.

Project manager Richard Lever said it was "great news" that the agency was now on the ground working to better protect York from flooding.

“The flood wall along North Street has previously come close to overtopping and needs increasing in height to cope with rising flood heights and the effects of climate change,” he said. “In both 2000 and 2015 the river levels were close to the top of the wall so sandbags were used to increase the defence height.”

He said the work would also counter the risk of flood water finding a path through the gardens and the rowing club boathouse to flood properties in Rougier Street and Wellington Row and cut off Station Road.

City of York Council executive member Andrew Waller said it was working closely with the agency on the project.