Wednesday, January 27, 2021

News: £80m for flood defences with Rotherham to benefit

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A number of Rotherham schemes are expected to benefit from an £80m Government investment in South Yorkshire flood defences, following sustained pressure and cooperation with local leaders and the Environment Agency in response to the November 2019 floods in the region.

Combined with other public and private funding, this means that almost £93m has been secured for flood risk investment over the next six-year period.

The funding was confirmed at the Environment Agency’s Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee meeting in January, who considered the new Medium-Term Plan.

It marks a three-fold increase in the scale of investment to South Yorkshire and comes after the Mayor, local authority leaders and the Environment Agency worked together on plans to respond to the November 2019 floods.

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The funding marks a significant step towards the delivery of 27 priority projects identified by the Mayor and local leaders to protect more homes and businesses.

Rotherham schemes in the initial 27 projects set out in 2020 include the Council led schemes:

- Rotherham To Kilnhurst Flood Alleviation Scheme
- Parkgate Flood Alleviation Scheme
- Catcliffe Pumping Station
- Eel Mires Dike Flood Alleviation Scheme Flood Alleviation Scheme
- Rotherham Culvert Renewal Programme

And Environment Agency led schemes:
- Don Catchment Regulators
- Nature Based Solutions Programme in Mid Don

The schemes will protect 860 homes across South Yorkshire, as well as ensuring that infrastructure, including Rotherham railway station which was closed again due to flooding recently, is resilient to flooding in the future.

The Rotherham To Kilnhurst Flood Alleviation Scheme requires some £24m and includes downstream phases from Forge Island to Parkgate, and Kilnhurst.

Rothbiz reported last year that £51m was needed to implement all of its flood-related schemes and, despite the confirmed Government funding, there is still a £125m gap in the South Yorkshire Flooding Priority Programme.

Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, Dan Jarvis, said: "Just this week Storm Christoph has shown how a lack of action has left our region exposed.

“It’s therefore incredibly welcome that the Environment Agency’s Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee has approved substantial new investment for South Yorkshire, following extensive work by local leaders to develop a plan which will help protect our region from harm in future.

“Local leaders and I have put forward almost £6m of our own funding to kick start the works and alongside this funding boost, we can go a long way to delivering our plan, which will help keep our communities and businesses safe.

“I’m determined we see the South Yorkshire catchment plan delivered in full, and that’s why the onus is now on Ministers to step up and fill the remaining £125m gap in the South Yorkshire’s Flooding Priority Programme. People in South Yorkshire cannot afford any more sleepless nights. Local leaders have acted decisively, now Ministers must do the same.”

Images: Northern Rail / Twitter

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