Sheffield flood defences Â£20m short

The Wicker in Sheffield city centre following the floods of 2007.

Coun Julie Dore has written to Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne calling for the ‘essential’ investment in Sheffield’s flood defences.

RETRO: The Great Sheffield Floods of 2007

Sheffield Council has worked with the Environment Agency to develop a flood defence programme involving five new schemes.

It is estimated the schemes will cost £43m.

But the Government has only earmarked £23m – leaving a £20m funding gap.

Council leader Coun Dore said: “The desperate pictures we saw on TV of flooding over Christmas and the New Year brought back memories of the devastating floods we experienced here in Sheffield in 2007.

“We urgently need more investment in flood defences from Government to prevent a repeat happening here.

“We have developed programmes that would protect Sheffield from flooding but it’s essential that we deliver the full programme.

“Capital investment in Sheffield’s flood infrastructure has been very limited in comparison to other areas, this is why we are calling on the Prime Minister to provide a further £20million to Sheffield, so we can get on with building these defences. We are doing the best we can but our decreasing budget and pressure on our services means we are very limited.

“This is about protecting Sheffield people. We need government to work with us to ensure our city is prepared and protected.

“Protection is cheaper than the cure and if we compare the £20million we need against the potential economic damages of £1billion, there should be no question.”

The programme would protect Sheffield from potential economic damage of around £1billion for the lifetime of the project, Coun Dore said.

She said if delivered the schemes will reduce flood risk for around 6,000 households and 2,000 businesses.

The five schemes are:

n a £15m flood alleviation scheme for the River Sheaf and Porter Brook

n a £15m flood alleviation scheme in the Upper Don, including the rivers Loxley and Little Don

n an £8million culvert renewal programme on watercourses across the city

n a £3million environmental scheme to manage flooding and surface water from planned developments on the Manor and Arbourthorne estates

n a £2million flood alleviation scheme on the upper Blackburn Brook.