Following the flooding earlier in the year, Surrey and Croydon councils, plus Tandridge Council, the military and Environment Agency, built four temporary reservoirs in Woldingham to prevent Caterham Bourne floodwater from affecting the Kenley waterworks that serves thousands of nearby homes and businesses.

Now, the two councils, with support from the Environment Agency, have asked the Department for the Environment to give £1 million from a flood relief pot to build up to four permanent reservoirs to last several decades.

Two of the permanent reservoirs could be built near Woldingham, with the others likely to be nearer Kenley. Council experts will start work on detailed designs and locations if funding is approved, but no date has yet been fixed on a Government funding decision.