A MAJOR scheme to prevent flood damage to a historic court building and a council HQ in Taunton has been proposed.

Drainage issues are currently affecting the fabric of Shire Hall, where Taunton Crown Court sits, and Block A at County Hall, Somerset County Council's base.

A planned remedial project includes attenuation or storage basins, rain gardens, a retention pond, channels known as swales and raised planters to protect both listed buildings from flood risk.

The county council has submitted a planning application for the work to Somerset West and Taunton Council.

A document accompanying the application says: "The proposals are necessary to resolve current drainage issues which are affecting the fabric of the listed assets on site, whilst also conserving and enhancing the significance of the buildings."

It adds that the project will "reduce flood risk, improve drainage" and provide "a range of secondary benefits".

The statement says: "The scheme ensures a betterment in the natural environment of the site and an improvement to the landscape, visual amenity and overall enjoyment of the area."

The initiative is part of a partnership between Dutch, British and Flemish local government and water authorities to co-create and implement innovative climate change adaptation solutions with local stakeholders with the aim of reducing the risk and damage from urban flooding.

The statement says: "The primary purpose of this project is to control and reduce flood risk, both within the site and its immediate surroundings, whilst also resolving current drainage issues around the listed buildings.

"Historic records show that parts of the site are susceptible to flooding from surface water, with a high risk of surface water flooding in the car parking areas.

"The proposed scheme aims to reduce the risk of flooding from surface water to the site, whilst also providing habitats and amenity space as an enhancement to the local environment."

Attenuation basins would be located in the car park between A and B Blocks of County Hall and north of the car park at Shire Hall.

A total of four rain gardens would be used as areas of surface water storage, while three bioretention area are also proposed.