The scheme to protect Leeds city centre from the risk of flooding was given the green light after government funding of £32.5million was confirmed.

The funding to provide flood protection along the River Aire was granted by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) today following a successful bid from the Environment Agency and Leeds City Council.

Leeds City Council is contributing £10m towards the cost of the £50.5m scheme, with further funding to be raised from a potential business improvement district and other local funding sources.

The work, supported by the Canal & River Trust and other partners including Yorkshire Water, will see innovative measures introduced on the River Aire to control water levels to protect over 3,000 homes and around 500 businesses safeguarding over 18,000 jobs.

-- Advertisement --

The first element of the scheme will see the existing weirs at Crown Point and further downstream at Knostrop removed and replaced with moveable weirs which can be used to reduce river levels and decrease the likelihood of flooding.

The new weirs received planning approval last month and work is expected to start before summer 2014. Further work will also be carried out to remove Knostrop Cut with the river being widened by merging it with the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

Upon completion, the scheme will provide the city centre with protection from a 1 in 75-year flood. In addition, the design of the new defences will mean the formerly proposed high flood walls can be significantly reduced in height and length so maintaining the heritage and visual quality of the Leeds waterfront.

In Leeds city centre 100 properties flooded in 2000, while major flooding was only narrowly avoided in 2004, 2007 and 2008.

(CD/GK)