Copley flood scheme progress: Uncertainty around funding being secured for later phases of flood work

A lot of work has been undertaken at Copley village, but funding for some planned elements as still to be signed off by Government, flood partners heard.

Coun Colin Hutchinson (Lab, Skircoat) said Copley cricket ground will play its part as a flood plain but drainage which will allow water to drain away after flooding events is still needed.

He asked if there was now uncertainty about whether funding for further planned phases of work.

Environment Agency senior advisor Paul Swales said there was still work to do with later phases, for example securing planning permission for some of the work and some design work.

There was still some uncertainty about funding arrangements going ahead.

“But we have progressed this scheme quite a lot.

“We know what we want to do, we have got to get over a few necessary hurdles to do that, planning permission and we still have to sort the funding,” he said.

However, Copley should progress to final business case stage this year, he said.

His EA colleague Jo Arnold said Copley was one of the schemes checked off and funded for 2025-26 but this still needed to be signed off by the new Government.

In terms of the Copley projects generally, significant progress had been made, said Mr Swales.

Phase one of works had been completed and it had received recognition nationally.

A third embankment was now open to the public, and following more grass seeding, more would be opened up to them later in the summer, as it should be, he said.