50 Calderdale businesses better protected from floods thanks to recent work

By May, a full business case for the estimated £19 million Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme will be submitted, with work set to begin on two key components.

Calderdale Flood Recovery and Resilience Programme Board has heard decisions over planning permission for the schemes for Wellholme Park and Whinney Hill Park, – both relating to Clifton Beck - are imminent, and work could start on them in the autumn, taking an estimated two years to complete.

Meanwhile, some maintenance works to River Calder flood defences along Atlas Road and River Street have now been completed and more than 50 businesses are now better protected from the risk of flooding, members heard.

It was also reported to them that the scheme has also identified two areas of surface water risk, with the Environment Agency (EA) working with Yorkshire Water and Calderdale Council to incorporate improvements to these within the project.

Overall, the board heard the whole scheme will improve Brighouse’s resilience by refurbishing and replacing defences on the River Calder and installing new assets at Clifton Beck.

Nearby in Elland, the EA has agreed the scope with engineers Arup to look at the different sources of flooding with the aim of identifying economically viable solutions to reduce risk.

It is intended this piece of work will take six months and will involve a desk-based modelling review, some ground investigations and talking to the community, board members heard.