Initial Sketches Released for Leeds Flood Scheme

Initial sketches of how the next phase of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme to reduce flood risk in the city could look were released yesterday.

Image source: Leeds City Council

The indicative images offer early examples of how elements of the scheme could look to reduce flood risk upstream of the city centre including the Kirkstall corridor which was badly hit by the effects of Storm Eva at Christmas 2015.

The images produced by Leeds City Council working with the Environment Agency and BMM JV Limited were presented as part of a pre-application presentation at a planning meeting yesterday, outlining the proposals for phase two of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme.

Building on the success of phase one of the scheme which has seen formal flood prevention measures put in place for the first time in the city center and downstream at Woodlesford, phase two proposes a further £112 million investment in a range of measures along the River Aire including to its upper catchment.

Following yesterday’s meeting, work will now continue on the plans with a formal planning application expected to be submitted later this summer.

If approved by the government, work on phase two is scheduled to begin mid-2019.