Work On Ripon’s New Flood Defences Start

The long overdue flood defences for Ripon have started which have been designed to protect £47m worth of property and infrastructure in and around the City.

The flood defence scheme was given the go ahead back in 2006, after the severe floods of 2005, but it has been shelved for three and a half years due to funding issues at the Environment Agency. While the scheme was shelved Ripon endured the worst flooding in a century in 2007. You can see pictures of the 2007 Ripon Flood on Ripon Internet.

The flood defence work is starting at Birkby Nab Farm, off Galphay Lane and the £14.4m scheme includes creating a huge water storage area capable of holding enough water to fill 400 Olympic sized swimming pools. There will also be new flood walls created around the city itself to hold back the flood waters.

It is expected that work will finish in the Spring of 2011, so let’s hope that between now and then the British weather gives Ripon an easy time.