Villagers are being asked to join a campaign to stop any more homes being built in Flimby until the village’s sewers are improved.

Maryport Town Council is calling for a total embargo on building to avoid an increased risk of flooding.

It comes as Allerdale council consults on its draft local plan, which could see parts of Flimby earmarked for building. The town council is delivering letters objecting to the plans to homes in the village for people to sign and return to Allerdale council.

Copies will also be available in the village shops.

Allerdale’s draft development plan identifies land behind the old Evonik building, now Ashcroft Plant Hire offices, as suitable for housing development.

Councillor Peter Kendall told the town council on Monday that the village sewerage system is working “above and beyond capacity” and any further building will dramatically increase the risk of a repeat of the flooding in December 2015.

Coun Carol Tindall said: “Ninety houses were flooded in this village and only by the grace of God were there not more.”

Coun Kendall and Coun Stephen Ashworth met the Environment Agency recently who, they said, had confirmed their fears that any more pressure on the system would increase the flooding risk. Solutions put forward have included installing large tanks to contain the water.

However, Maryport councillors has written to Allerdale to ask for a complete embargo until the work is done and is urging villagers to do the same.

An Allerdale spokeswoman said local plan was only in the consultation stage which would include talking to United Utilities and the Environment Agency. All comments would be taken into consideration before any plan is formally adopted.