'Government must deliver on proper flood defences for Leeds' says MP Rachel Reeves

It follows significant disruption caused across the city by Storm Ciara in recent days, with the River Aire spilling over its banks in places, railway lines at Kirkstall Forge closed and businesses at Cardigan Fields evacuated.

Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves yesterday renewed her calls for ministers to address a £23m gap in funding for the second phase of the city's flood alleviation scheme, saying residents and business owners should not have to endure "sleepless nights" every time there is heavy rain.

Drawn up in the wake of the 2015 floods that affected more than 3,000 homes and businesses in Leeds, the scheme's second phase is designed to give a one-in-200-year level of protection against the threat of flooding.

It means the probability of the protected areas being flooded would be reduced to such an extent that it would only be likely to happen once in 200 years.

Labour MP Ms Reeves said: "When the devastating floods struck in 2015, the Government promised that Burley, Kirkstall and the rest of Leeds would get the flood defences we urgently need to keep homes and business safe.

“Despite those warm words, there is a budget shortfall of more than £20m between what the Government has committed and what is needed to protect against the type of floods we experienced just over four years ago."

The first phase of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme, completed in 2017, saw formal flood defences installed along the River Aire for the first time. They included two moveable weir gates at Crown Point and Knostrop, which can be used to control river levels.

But that work had been started in 2014, meaning it was planned before the floods caused by Storm Eva at Christmas 2015. Those floods cost Leeds an estimated £36.8m, with the cost to the wider city region being more than £500m.

They also resulted in Leeds City Council carrying out extensive survey and modelling work alongside the Environment Agency to design a second phase of work that would significantly reduce the risk of such flooding being repeated.

The £112m proposals cover a range of measures along the River Aire, including to its upper catchment. They will be will be delivered in two stages and use natural flood management techniques to help slow the river's flow.

Work will will include building new walls and embankments, the removal of obstructions along the river to reduce water levels, the creation of new woodland areas, and creating a water storage area that releases water only when safe.

Securing the money needed to complete all those works remains a sticking point though after the Government offered a funding package of only around £65m.

This has been boosted by funding from the council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and Network Rail - but there is still at £23m shortfall if the highest level of protection is to be provided.

Ms Reeves said: “I have had numerous meetings and discussions with ministers and officials where I have pressured the Government to deliver the flood defences, but they continue to fail to deliver on their promises for the North.

“Residents and business owners need to feel safe in their own properties and should not have to endure more sleepless nights every time there is heavy rain. I hope this near-miss will be the wake-up call the Government needs to finally fund and deliver proper flood defences for Leeds.”

The first step of phase two runs along an 8km stretch upstream of Leeds station and focuses on three key areas – Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills, Kirkstall Abbey and Kirkstall Meadows.

Construction of flood defences for this first stage began in January, with all the stage one works expected to be complete by winter 2022. The flood defence walls and embankments created in this stage of the works will provide a one-in-100 year level of protection.

The second stage of the works will upgrade the scheme to the full one-in-200 year protection level, but only once funding is found to cover the shortfall. It will include creating a large flood storage area at Calverley, making use of an existing flood plain.

Joining the calls for Government action, WYCA chairwoman Coun Susan Hinchliffe said it was doing all it could to support local councils as communities across West Yorkshire suffered the consequences of extreme weather conditions.

“This should be the moment that, as a country, we stop treating these events as exceptional, accept that we should expect them to occur more frequently in the light of climate change and invest in the flood defences and flood alleviation schemes we need to protect homes and businesses," she said.

Since the floods in 2015, WYCA has invested £20m from the Leeds City Region Growth Deal, alongside more that £170m of partner match funding for the City Region, into schemes covering Leeds city centre, Skipton and Mytholmroyd.

It has also worked with partners to invest over £10m of European Regional Development Funding, is spending a further £2.6m on the Wyke Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme in East Leeds, and has contributed £3.9m towards phase two of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme.

But Coun Hinchliffe said the authority had consistently argued that further Government support was required to match the scale of investment needed, adding: “In the coming days and weeks the Government must demonstrate its commitment to protecting our communities by providing the funding we need.”

​Read more: Kirkstall business owners speak of relief at avoiding repeat of 2015 floods disaster​

She said WYCA would be asking for financial support – similar to that put in place for the 2015 floods - to help people and businesses affected by the latest floods, which have hit communities in the Calderdale particularly hard.

It is also seeking £123m towards a £245m programme of flood protection work covering 27 schemes over the next six years and believes any devolution deal for West Yorkshire must provide the powers and resources necessary to tackle issues such as flooding effectively.