More than 95% of farmers and landowners within the Alt Crossens catchment in West Lancashire have voted in favour of investigating the creation of an Internal Drainage Board (IDB).
Once established this IDB would take over the running and operation of satellite pumping stations and watercourse maintenance that protects the low-lying land.
The NFU and CLA believe this is of benefit not only in maintaining some of our most productive land but also to homes, businesses and infrastructure within the area.
NFU Environment & Land Use Adviser Alice Richards said: "Now that we have the support from the agricultural community the next step is to identify what area the IDB should cover and the level of work it should carry out.
"From this we will then be able to calculate how much it would cost to run, and therefore how much the farmers would pay through the drainage rate and how much the local authorities would contribute through the special levy.
"This is quite a long process and could take some time. Once we have all this information we will then go back out to consultation, not just to the farmers, but to the wider community as well.
"Everyone will get the chance to comment on the boundary, level of work, and costs."
CLA North Regional Surveyor Robert Frewen said: "I hope that all of the local authorities in the area will now engage with this process in order to find an affordable way of helping to protect not just farmland but also thousands of surrounding households and businesses."
