Flood risk increases - while defences are improved

But the Environment Agency insist the changes at the Canklow Regulator, between Catcliffe and Cankow, and the Woodhouse Mill Regulator, in Sheffield, will ultimately reduce risks for communities downstream.

Regulators are flood gates, which hold water back during extreme rainfall, to help prevent downstream defences from being overwhelmed.

The upgrade means taking out the Canklow flood gate, which will happen next month, with a stronger replacement put in place.

That is expected to take between five and six months.

There had already been problems with the Woodhouse Mill flood gate, which broke and could not be raised, leading to flooding of some washland areas.

That is also being replaced, meaning that over the summer both will be out of action.

So, should the area experience heavy rainfall over the summer, barriers which would normally be used to control it will be missing, a situation the EA concedes will create a slight, temporary, increase in flood risk.

However, they say they have chosen the ‘optimal time to begin the works to limit the potential increase in flood risk’.

The Canklow regulator is on the |River Rother, which runs into the River Don in the town centre.

A third regulator, at Meadowgate, was successfully replaced last year, alongside other work to improve flood resilience.

The work is being carried out in conjunction with other measures to help protect communities between Rotherham and Doncaster.

The works at Canklow are part of the Environment Agency’s ongoing commitment to maintaining and improving flood defences in South Yorkshire.

Kimberley MacPherson, Environment Agency Operations Manager said: “We know the devastating impact that flooding can have so the decision to proceed with these works has been carefully considered.

“We will be taking as many precautions as possible to mitigate any temporary increase in flood risk.

“The Meadowgate Regulator was successfully replaced in 2024 and is now fully operational. We are aiming to build on that success with the replacement of the Canklow Regulator.

“We remain committed to keeping residents and businesses updated throughout the project.”

While the two flood gates are out of service, their counterpart at Meadowgate will be used to help manage water flows.