Steps taken towards a new round of flood defences in Rotherham
A NEW round of flood defence work could go ahead in Rotherham - but first the council is seeking to establish whether planning permission is needed.
Although the authority is responsible for planning issues, it has to put in its own applications - and get permission granted - like any other applicant.
Council officials believe work planned around Parkgate and Rawmarsh can be done as a ‘permitted development’, work of a scale which does not need new planning consent.
But they have now made an application to allow their own planners to make a ruling on that assumption.
The work would form part of a borough-wide scheme of changes, drawn up as a response to floods in 2007, 2019 and 2023, along with other ‘near misses’.
When complete, the scheme is predicted to reduce the risk of flooding to one per cent each year - meaning a once in a century likelihood of the defences being overwhelmed.
The defences would link into others created in the area, to create a combined answer to the flooding threat.
That would mean a reduced flood risk to properties, employment areas, roads, tram and rail lines, the canal and utility company infrastructure.
It would also have the advantage of reducing the flood risk at potential development sites.
Sites affected by the proposals include a 1.25km stretch of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Canal, lifting ground a footpath levels by up to 500mm to one side, with a low wall providing defences on the other.
Work is also anticipated over around half a kilometre of the Earl Fitzwilliam Canal.
Around 400 metres of Greasbrogh Dike will get a raised ‘sheet pile’ wall on Network Rail land, up to 1.55m high.
The work would be funded by a combination of cash from Rotherham Council, with more money from Network Rail and the Environment Agency.
The council’s argument against the need for planning permission is that, under permitted development rights, drainage work is included in the criteria.
The make the point that “these rights are relatively extensive and there are no specific conditions that limit the extent of these works.”
Flood defence work closer to the town centre has already been completed, with the new Forge Island development also built on a level elevated from the River Don.