£23.7m flood protection scheme

THE Environment Agency has announced a £23.7 million flood risk management scheme at Warrington to reduce the risk of flooding to about 2,000 properties.
Work will be carried in three phases over a period of three years and is designed to protect homes in the Latchford, Howley, Westy, Kingsway North and Woolston areas from flooding from the Mersey.
The Government is providing £18 million over three years (£4.8 million this year) and the Environment Agency are working with partners, such as Warrington Borough Council and private companies, to secure additional funds.
Warrington South MP David Mowat (pictured), who raised the issue with DEFRA ministers in Parliament last October, has welcomed the announcement.
He said: “This funding, which I have personally lobbied for in Parliament, is excellent news for people living along the banks of the Mersey in Latchford. “These areas have suffered from flooding in years gone by and it causes major disruption to homes and businesses.
“Sadly, experience from other areas suggests that many people do not have adequate insurance to protect them from flooding, so hopefully this work will keep insurance premiums down.”
People living near the Mersey at Warrington have a one-in-20 chance of their homes being flooded every year.
Warrington has a long history of flood problems caused by the Mersey and various local tributaries.
The most recent serious incidents were in 1990 and 2000.
Last year, the Environment Agency carried out a widespread consultation exercise among local people to gauge public opinion.

Cllr Geoff Settle on 10th February 2012 8:45 am 8:45 am

As the borough councillor Climate Change Champion and chair of the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum I have been working hard with Cllr Maureen McLaughlin (Latchford West), to mitigate the impact of the flood defences on the loss of trees and wildlife in the area.

As local residents will know who attended the meetings that Cllr McLaughlin organised last year over a hundred mature trees will have to go. As a consequence of discussions with Dermott Smith of the EA this has been reduced slightly in key areas as new methods of securing the river bank were developed. She has also asked for and got the EA to plant more trees to replace the felled ones. In addition the site of the proposed entrance to the park in the original plans has been changed and improved as part of the consultation process.

I remember all too well when I organised the first Chris Vose 10k road race from Victoria Park back in the late 1980’s. I had over 1,000 runners coming to the event. A week or so before it was to take place the river Mersey breached its banks and flooded the Athletic Track where I was intending to finish the race. Fortunately the water went before the day of the race but I realised how susceptible the area was. The floods have been worse since that day and I am very pleased with the hard work that Dermott Smith has put in developing the over a number of years and the efforts to secure the funding which will hopefully protect the 2,000 homes in Latchford West and beyond in the subsequent phases.

On a personal level I am pleased that phase one also given protection to Spittle Brook in my ward. The EA again sculptured of the brook banks as a temporary measure a year or so ago following the flooding of Solway Close. They have now secured additional funding for more protection to Cinnamon Brow residents.

Finally I hope that Warrington South MP gives mores consideration to the actions of his Government when it comes to climate change as they are definitely not encouraging the use of wind and solar technology as highlighted in yesterday’s Warrington Worldwide. In fact his and his colleagues action are very anti and hurting this Town as a consequence. They should be supporting this young industry and helping spread the use of new technology not trying to kill it off at birth.

4 Comments

Cllr Geoff Settle on 10th February 2012 8:45 am 8:45 am

As the borough councillor Climate Change Champion and chair of the Warrington Nature Conservation Forum I have been working hard with Cllr Maureen McLaughlin (Latchford West), to mitigate the impact of the flood defences on the loss of trees and wildlife in the area.

As local residents will know who attended the meetings that Cllr McLaughlin organised last year over a hundred mature trees will have to go. As a consequence of discussions with Dermott Smith of the EA this has been reduced slightly in key areas as new methods of securing the river bank were developed. She has also asked for and got the EA to plant more trees to replace the felled ones. In addition the site of the proposed entrance to the park in the original plans has been changed and improved as part of the consultation process.

I remember all too well when I organised the first Chris Vose 10k road race from Victoria Park back in the late 1980’s. I had over 1,000 runners coming to the event. A week or so before it was to take place the river Mersey breached its banks and flooded the Athletic Track where I was intending to finish the race. Fortunately the water went before the day of the race but I realised how susceptible the area was. The floods have been worse since that day and I am very pleased with the hard work that Dermott Smith has put in developing the over a number of years and the efforts to secure the funding which will hopefully protect the 2,000 homes in Latchford West and beyond in the subsequent phases.

On a personal level I am pleased that phase one also given protection to Spittle Brook in my ward. The EA again sculptured of the brook banks as a temporary measure a year or so ago following the flooding of Solway Close. They have now secured additional funding for more protection to Cinnamon Brow residents.

Finally I hope that Warrington South MP gives mores consideration to the actions of his Government when it comes to climate change as they are definitely not encouraging the use of wind and solar technology as highlighted in yesterday’s Warrington Worldwide. In fact his and his colleagues action are very anti and hurting this Town as a consequence. They should be supporting this young industry and helping spread the use of new technology not trying to kill it off at birth.

Silver Surfer on 10th February 2012 9:31 am 9:31 am

This was started long before Cllr Settle or Cllr McLaughglin became became cllrs. Instead of self promotion and adulatyion, perhaps the cllr should give credit to the residents of Knutsford area who pushed the Environment Agency over this issue.

Cllr Geoff Settle on 10th February 2012 10:09 am 10:09 am

Without their support this wouldn’t have been half as successful afterall they are the ones that are in the firing line and I agree with you sliver surfer that they have done a huge amount of pushing, commenting and asking for change. I just wish that more people had their energy.

Si on 10th February 2012 1:04 pm 1:04 pm

Wow Well done thats a massive amount of money and tree destruction for an area that has had some minor localised flooding in my 39 years of living in the Howley and Lower walton areas.

But if it gives us a better entrance to Victoria park then thats a bonus.

the worst flooding I can Remember was from the late 1970’s when the thames board fields were flooded ,(the Chester Road Houses were untouched) but the site where the Village hotel now sits was completely under water. I notice no defence has been proposed for that area….. still I’m sure they will get it right wont they….???