Hebden Bridge Web

Calderdale Flood Action Plan Published

Friday, 28 October 2016

From Bob Deacon

The Calderdale Flood Action Plan promised last Spring has been published today by the end of October deadline. At the launch this morning, it was welcomed as a clear set of activities with clear responsibilities on specified agencies to progress them all within a clear time frame and all overseen by the (now) public accountable Calderdale Flood Partnership.

Of interest to Hebden Bridge will be the statement that construction of the Hebden Bridge flood alleviation scheme will start in 2018 and be completed by 2020. The Mytholmroyd scheme is more advanced and will be completed by 2019.

Hope Street on Boxing Day 2015 - © HebWeb

At the same numerous sound natural flood management initiatives will be advanced by a range of partners including local flood groups. Statements about changed moorland management are welcome but may not be tough enough.

Those reservoirs which can be identified as ones where the level of water storage could reduce flood risk will be identified by the end of 2016. Pressure may then need to be put on Yorkshire Water to cooperate with the Environment Agency.

Missing is any focus on interim emergency flood defenses for 2016 or 2017! Community Resilience to new floods is however given emphasis.

Calderdale flood action plan