Flood defences must protect the whole of Lewes and not divide communities, ministers were being told tonight.

The town's MP, Norman Baker, has secured a Westminster debate to discuss the lack of progress in building vital barriers.

Mr Baker, the Liberal Democrat environment spokesman, has been dismayed by reports some of the work needed in the town may not go ahead.

Last month, The Argus said campaigners had described the prospects of getting new defences to protect the areas west of Cliffe Bridge and around North Street as "bleak to very bleak".

Following a meeting with officials at the Environment Department, they said there was no chance of work at Landport, North Malling or Malling Deanery.

Only one scheme, at Malling Brooks, an area devastated in the autumn 2000 floods, is certain to go ahead, although the cost has doubled to £1.6 million.

Work on defences for the Cliffe area, also badly hit in 2000, is unlikely to start for two years and the scheme has yet to win funding. But Mr Baker was today preparing to argue the situation is not acceptable. Before the 30-minute debate in Westminster Hall, he said: "I am concerned we are now three years on from the floods and not a brick has been laid in Lewes.

"We are getting worrying signals from DEFRA that some of the defences are not going to go ahead.

"But Lewes should be treated as one town and given a complete flood defence system.

"It is divisive to do one part of the town and not the other. If Lewes cannot qualify for flood defences, then where in the country can?"

The Environment Agency uses a points system to decide where flood defences should be built.

Malling Brooks scored highly because of the number of homes at serious risk but the Cliffe area scored lower and the other two at-risk town centre zones lower still.

The agency is reviewing its flood defence strategy for Lewes, unveiled last summer, after new Government advice and expects to publish the revised document before November.

Improved flood defences at Landport, North Malling and Malling Deanery were not included in the strategy.