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£9m scheme to protect town from flooding

PA Media A flood sign, partly submerged in water on a flooded road, with the legs of a person in waterproof boots, jeans and a navy jumper, walking through the water in the distancePA Media

The next four phases of a £9m scheme to protect a town from future flooding are set to be approved.

In 2020, the River Calder burst its banks in Padiham, Lancashire, affecting thousands of homes and businesses after the town had previously been hit by Storm Desmond five years earlier.

Burnley Council’s Development Control Committee will debate the measures which are part of the Environment Agency’s Padiham Flood Risk Management Scheme (FRMS) later.

They aim to protect another 133 homes and the centre of the town from being overwhelmed by water.

A woman, wearing a grey winter coat and with grey short hair, mops a flooded shop in Padiham after the town was flooded
The River Calder burst its banks in Padiham affecting thousands of homes and businesses in 2020

The proposals include new and raised linear defences along both banks of the River Calder from Lune Street to Station Road Bridge and along both banks of Green Brook from its confluence with the River Calder to the Padiham Greenway.

They also include the installation of flood defence walls, a flood embankment at the former BAXI site, parapet strengthening works to Padiham Bridge, removal of an existing footbridge and installation of replacement footbridge over the River Calder connecting River Drive with Lune Street.

The part diversion of two public footbridges and creating a breach in the existing flood embankment along the north bank of the River Calder will ease the build up of water pressure, the plans say.

An officers report said Storm Desmond "affected 149 properties through surface water flooding and fluvial flooding from both the River Calder and Green Brook".

“Those affected included: businesses; utilities infrastructure; the Grade II listed Town Hall; emergency services facilities; residential properties; and health and education establishments," it said.

“It took over two years for the town to visibly recover, with the full reopening of the Town Hall in January 2018.

“The Padiham FRMS will seek to reduce the high level of flood risk to properties, businesses and infrastructure."

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