Plans to protect Hebden Bridge from flooding gather pace

Preparation work on schemes for Hebden Bridge, and the Erringden hillside and Stubbing Holme Road areas – which have projects of their own but also affect the town – are nearing completion.

This autumn and next year should see a mixture of planning applications and full business cases aimed at securing necessary funding being finalised, Calderdale Flood Recovery and Resilience Board partners heard.

Designs for the main £30 million Hebden Bridge scheme should be completed over coming months, including where environmental improvements can be made.

Outline designs have also been prepared to modify five of the weirs around Hebden Bridge.

Significant progress has been made on an environmental supporting statement to accompany a planning application likely to be submitted in spring 2023.

A full business case submission for funding is expected in summer 2023.

Modelling work to refine outline design of a surface water flooding scheme is expected to be completed this month.

The two planning applications for Erringden hillside – for Shelf Road and Fairfield – should be submitted this autumn, and a canal overflow weir planning application has already been submitted.

Work with the Canal and River Trust to provide required permissions to access and work on trust land and initiate towpath closures continues.

Following agreement of a construction cost this month, the next step will be submission of the Erringden full business case in the autumn to secure scheme delivery with work planned to start in January 2023.

At Stubbing Holme Road on the edge of Hebden Bridge town centre, detailed design work is continuing and nearing compeletion.

Engagement with residents who will be directly impacted is ongoing to discuss proposals and gather their thoughts and ideas.

Partners aim to submit a full business case and commence construction in early 2023.

The Environment Agency and engineers Bam Nuttall are working to establish an engagement hub for the town’s various flood alleviation schemes – partners aim for this to be operation possibly by late autumn.

Meanwhile, project staff are available to speak to at Hebden Bridge Town Hall each Monday, 10am and 2pm, throughout October.