UP to 15 trees may have to be felled in York’s Museum Gardens to allow for a major upgrade of flood defences.

The Environment Agency is proposing to raise an existing grass embankment in the gardens by between 0.3 and 0.6 metres and extend it further out to the River Ouse.

It also wants to extend the defences at their eastern end so they can join up with existing high ground.

The agency says the work, coupled with other defence improvements in the area, would better protect 48 local properties.

A spokeswoman said some trees would need to be removed to allow for the embankment upgrade.

“Working with the York Museums Trust, the project team have identified an area along the existing embankment where changes to the landscaping will be made which could mean moving or felling up to 15 trees,” she said.

“Every effort will be made by the team to limit the loss of trees in the final design of the scheme.

“The agency has a policy that for every tree lost, five will be planted. However, discussions are ongoing with the Trust and City of York Council to confirm the landscaping plan – which could include a lower level of tree planting but will allow rare and mature trees to be reinstated.”

She said the embankment was built between the river and the Grade II listed Hospitium building after the Ouse flooded in 1982. It was about 2.5 metres high and 130 metres long, and was designed to provide defences 0.46 metres higher than was reached in1982.

Planning permission for the work would be sought during spring 2020 with construction work set to start in August 2021.

She said the aim was to minimise the impact on the Hospitium, which was regularly used for weddings and conferences, by allowing plenty of time for people to plan ahead and keeping construction out of sight. “The work is expected to take up to four months.

“Any vegetation clearance will be carried out in the winter of 2021 before the start of the bird breeding season. The gardens will remain open to the public throughout construction work.”

She said other work in the area included installing glass panels on top of existing brick walls, replacing 12 existing flood gates with new ones and raising an existing flood wall and gate.

*An exhibition about the proposals will run from next Monday until Friday September 6 in the Yorkshire Museum foyer and there will be an information stand in the gardens. People can also tour the site and discuss any concerns with staff between 11am and 2pm on Tuesday August 20 and Tuesday September 3.