Led by the Environment Agency in partnership with Rochdale
Council, the new scheme features a range of measures to
reduce the risk of flooding across Rochdale and Littleborough
including a new flood storage area at Gale, as well as raised
walls and improvements to culverts and bridges in areas
including Greenvale Brook, Town House Brook, Ealees Brook,
Buckley Brook and Hey Brook.
The approved plans incorporate the first phase of a
three-step process that has been developed to create what
will eventually become one of the largest and most complex
inland flood risk management schemes in the north of England.
Once completed, the Rochdale and Littleborough Flood
Alleviation Scheme will improve flood protection for 1,000
residential properties and 200 local businesses as well as
major infrastructure such as the tram network, the bus
interchange, schools and colleges, a grid substation and the
waste water treatment works.
Proposed works for the Phase 1a planning application are set
to include defences at various locations in Littleborough,
the replacement of Riverstone Bridge and the widening of the
river channel at the same location as well as the removal of
Charles Street Bridge and temporary access works into the
Gale site to allow it to be turned into a flood storage
reservoir, as part of Phase 1B. Works will also combine the
permanent diversion of Greenvale Brook at Gale East and a
culvert extension within the same site.
During the planning application process, Rochdale Borough
Council’s planning department consulted with a large number
of customers and stakeholders before making the
recommendation to grant planning permission on Friday 8th
May.
Approval for the scheme was granted subject to the discharge
of a series of planning conditions prior to commencement of
actual construction related works
Pete Costello, Area Flood and Coastal Risk Manager for the
Environment Agency, said: “Rochdale and Littleborough
residents have been waiting for a number of years for
increased flood protection in their community. Those who
still live with the trauma of the Boxing Day 2015 flood
event, and more recent instances of flooding during Storm
Ciara and Dennis, should not be made to wait any longer than
necessary get these flood defences in place. We are therefore
delighted that the planning authority has now approved the
plans for the first phase of the Rochdale and Littleborough
Flood Alleviation Scheme.
“This is great news for the area as it will allow us to
better protect hundreds of homes and businesses while also
bringing improved environmental and economic benefits to the
areas. We look forward to additional progress on the ground
in the coming months and will continue to keep residents and
businesses affected by our work informed about the scheme at
every stage of its development. Community drop in events for
Riverstone Bridge will restart once it is safe to do so as
and when coronavirus restrictions are lifted.”
Councillor Neil Emmott, cabinet member for environment at
Rochdale Borough Council, said: “It’s great to see this vital
scheme taking a major step forward. We saw first-hand the
devastation caused by the Boxing day floods in 2015 and have
been working hand in hand with the Environment Agency to
protect our communities and businesses from the impact of any
future floods.
“We’ve already completed a number of important projects with
the Environment Agency, including the construction of new
storage reservoirs at Calder Brook, Littleborough. This
scheme is one of the largest flood defence projects in the
North West with the potential to protect 1,000 residential
properties and 200 businesses. It will help protect many of
our residents and businesses at significant risk of future
flooding and provide important infrastructure to support our
economic growth.”
