Major £14.4m flood defence scheme starts in Ripon (From The Advertiser Series)

Major £14.4m flood defence scheme starts in Ripon

12:30pm Tuesday 9th February 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

A MULTI-MILLION pound scheme to cut the risk of flooding to hundreds of properties has finally got underway in a historic city.

The Environment Agency started work on the £14.4m flood defence scheme for Ripon on February 9 with work set to end in Spring 2011.

Mayor of Ripon, Councillor David Parnaby, took to the controls of a digger to break the ground and start the project.

The multi-pronged scheme will see a flood storage reservoir created near Birkby Nab on the River Laver to hold flood waters.

There are to be defences built along Borrage Lane and the walls and embankments along the River Skell at Fisher Green will be raised.

Roads will be raised and an embankment built in the North Bridge area and work done to protect the A61 underpass.

Alma Weir will be replaced with a new river level gauging station upstream.

Councillor Sylvia Brierley, chairwoman of Ripon City Council’s flood defence working group, said: "I am delighted that work on the flood defences is now starting.

"The residents of Ripon, whose lives have been devastated by flooding in the past, will be breathing sighs of relief."

Councillor Parnaby said: "I am delighted to be able to witness the start of this comprehensive flood defence scheme which will protect so many homes and businesses in the city."

The rivers Skell, Laver and Ure meet at Ripon and the project will reduce the risk of flooding to 548 homes and 96 businesses.

Paul Scaife, Environment Agency project manager, said: "We are very happy to be starting on site and are working on the final design details of later construction stages."

An office on Fisher Green is to be opened to allow locals to ask questions and view the progress of the work.

Details on the work can be found at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/riponfas and comments and questions can be submitted to riponfas@environment-agency.gov.uk.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)