PRESS RELEASE : Flood information centre opens in Hebden Bridge [August 2023]

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 29 August 2023.

A new flood information centre has opened in Hebden Bridge, to help keep the community updated with progress to reduce the risk of flooding in the town.

The Environment Agency has opened its new Flood Information Centre at 4 Hardcastle House, Valley Road in Hebden Bridge this week.

The centre will be open on Mondays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm, where people can stop by to speak with members of the project team and view information about the flood alleviation schemes for Hebden Bridge Town Centre, Stubbing Holme Road and Erringden Hillside. There will also be some information on display about what else is happening to reduce flood risk across the valley.

Christian Merriman, Senior Flood Risk Management Advisor with the Environment Agency, said:

This flood information centre means we can be based in the heart of the community to provide regular updates ahead of construction and for the duration of the project, providing information and answering any queries or concerns the community might have.

We will also have more events lined up to keep the community updated on progress of the individual projects, but in the meantime encourage people to stop by and meet us, and also keep checking Eye on Calderdale for updates.

Cllr Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Active Travel and Housing, said:

We welcome the new flood information centre as one of the ways for residents to keep up-to-date with the flood alleviation schemes.

The planned works are an important part of the ongoing partnership efforts to protect our communities from the increased flood risk that we live with because of climate change.

The schemes represent a significant investment in Hebden Bridge, showing our commitment to a thriving future for the town.

Andy Bray from Calder River Trust said:

We are really pleased that the flood information centre is now open to the community. To have somewhere that the public can visit and meet members of the project team in person will be really beneficial, as the work progresses.

The Hebden Bridge Flood Alleviation Scheme will improve protection for approximately 400 properties in the town and will consist of increasing flood protection from Hebden Water and River Calder, improving the drainage of surface water with a series of gully systems and a pumping station and construction of a canal flood overflow. The planning application is currently forecast to be submitted in early 2024.

The Stubbing Holme Road Flood Alleviation Scheme will improve protection for approximately 56 properties and will consist of increasing flood protection from River Calder and Rochdale Canal. The planning application is currently expected to be submitted later in 2023.

The Erringden Hillside Flood Alleviation Scheme will improve protection for approximately 60 properties and will consist of property flood resilience measures, highway drainage improvement works and some natural flood management.