The Flood Hub

Lancashire is in line to benefit from 10 schemes designed to reduce the risk of flooding in the county – with South Ribble and Ribble Valley among the areas set to see work carried out.

Nine of the projects – worth a total of £1.7m – have received regional approval from the relevant agencies, which is expected to result in them getting the national go ahead from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). A tenth, smaller scheme – also for Wyre – is the subject of a bid to a North West-based fund.

The decisions are due shortly and, when they come, further design work will be done to more fully develop each of the plans. Some of the projects are designed to rectify existing problems, while others will take the form of studies to determine what action is needed.

In South Ribble, a £150,000 scheme in Lostock Hall will seek to improve surface water drainage – and understand the current issues with it – on Prospect Avenue between the railway lines and Brownedge Road.

Meanwhile, in Ribble Valley, £242,000 has been earmarked for studies to compile a surface water management plan for Longridge and Barrow, which will include public engagement with the two communities.

Separately in the borough, improvements are planned to Wiswell Brook, which are also designed to improve surface water issues, this time in Whalley.

Members agreed to accept the expected grant into County Hall’s capital programme – and also for the authority to provide an unspecified amount in “partnership contributions” towards the cost of the projects. This match funding will not necessarily be in cash, but could come in the form of a commitment to maintain any new infrastructure, as well as to donate staff time.

The meeting heard that the county council will attempt to develop those flood alleviation projects that do not involve the creation of new assets, which would put a maintenance burden on the authority in future years. Where that is unavoidable, however, the installation of any new infrastructure will be subject to further approval within the council as and when the schemes are developed.

 

LANCASHIRE’S PROPOSED FLOOD SCHEMES

• Carnforth, Kellet Road culvert – optioneering and design for highway culvert upsizing – £100,000
• Torrisholme and Bare surface water surface management plan – using the extensive surveys made by Flood Risk Management & Highways teams during 2021 to identify best value locations for improvement schemes – £25,000

 

PENDLE

• Brierfield level 2 surface water management plan – study with community engagement £148,500.

 

RIBBLE VALLEY

• Whalley surface water improvement scheme – Wiswell Brook improvements – £220,000
• Longridge and Barrow level 2 surface water management plan – studies, with community engagement – £242,000

 

SOUTH RIBBLE

• Prospect Avenue, Lostock Hall – to understand and improve surface water drainage between the railway lines and Brownedge Road – £150,000.

 

WEST LANCASHIRE

• Parbold Village options appraisal and scheme delivery – to complete work already initiated by Lancashire County Council after December 2015 floods – £200,000.

 

WYRE

• Thornton-Cleveleys level 3 surface water management – combining previous studies by the Environment Agency and United Utilities with information from November 2017 flooding and more recent and localised events, to identify options for sustainable surface water management – £600,000
• Pilling catchment study – to identify sustainable options for managing complex surface water flooding – £40,000
• Preesall emergency traffic management – required for highways’ community project – £30,000 (from Regional Flood and Coastal Committee local levy)

Article taken from Lancashire Evening Post which can be found here.