Plans to improve flood defences in Copley village are being developed - and construction could begin next year

Residents in Copley are growing increasingly concerned at their vulnerability to flooding, said Peter Hunt.

Mr Hunt said an absence of nearby flooding prevention measures and an incidence of water run-off onto a pavement at the mouth of the village had increased fears.

“Could Cabinet please have a look into the issue of Copley flood prevention and whether an evaluation could be conducted by the relevant officials?

“If there are already plans to deal with this, please set them out,” he wrote.

Cabinet member for Regeneration and Strategy, Coun Jane Scullion said the council and partners such as the Environment Agency had initiated work and could formally respond.

“In partnership with stakeholders, including Calderdale Council, the EA are now developing a scheme to better protect Copley village from the risk of flooding, utilising the recently completed ground investigation work,” she said.

The Environment Agency were developing a preferred option, with the caveat that this might change as design work progresses, said Coun Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot).

But she said it would include: “A formal drainage option at the cricket club to reduce the risk of flood water passing through the existing railway embankment, mini sheet piles through the existing embankment which surrounds the village, to improve the asset condition and extend the asset life of the bund, works to the existing embankment height, as informed by ongoing river modelling work, and street furniture to reduce the risk of surface water flows from Copley Lane entering properties.”

It was hoped construction would be early in 2024, though this might also be subject to change as designs progresses, Coun Scullion, the deputy leader of Calderdale Council, told the meeting.

Incidences of surface water run-off are investigated by the appropriate council team and in the case of the Copley Lane footpath it was found to be emerging from land owned by the Canal and River Trust who would need to investigate and carry out remedial works as riparian owner, she said.

The village and its cricket club was among many areas of Calderdale severely flooded during the deluge following storms in February 2020.