Hebden Bridge flood alleviation
Protecting homes, businesses and jobs from future flooding in Hebden Bridge.
Protecting homes, businesses and jobs from future flooding in Hebden Bridge.
Hebden Bridge is a picturesque market town located at the meeting point of the River Calder and Hebden Water river in the Calder Valley. It is an area of natural beauty with a strong industrial legacy of water powered weaving mills. It is a key economic area for the borough, attracting many visitors to its shops, pubs and eateries.
However, the geography and industrial legacy of Hebden Bridge make it vulnerable to flooding. In recent years, severe flood events have repeatedly affected homes and businesses, causing disruption and damaging the local economy.
This project was developed to reduce the town’s flood risk and improve it’s long-term resilience. The scheme focused on:
The Environment Agency led this project with Calderdale Council and Calderdale Flood Partnership as delivery partners. Work on the project took place between May 2021 and June 2023.
The total scheme cost was £27.2 million. £1.9 million from the Local Growth Fund, with additional funding from:
The Hebden Bridge flood alleviation project is part of our wider flood alleviation programme, a £20 million initiative to reduce flood risk across West Yorkshire.
Since the Boxing Day floods of 2015, the Combined Authority has invested £20 million from the Leeds City Region Growth Deal, alongside over £170 million of partner match funding, into schemes across the Leeds City Region to safeguard up to 1,385 businesses and at least 11,100 jobs from the risk of flood.
The Combined Authority is also investing £2.6 million in the Wyke Beck Flood Alleviation Scheme in East Leeds, £3.9 million in phase two of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme and £1.7 million in natural flood management schemes in the Colne, Calder and Upper Aire catchment areas.
In February 2020, £1.9 million was approved by Combined Authority’s Investment Committee to help start a £27.2 million scheme in Hebden Bridge being led by the Environment Agency which will reduce the risk of flooding from a 20% risk to a 2% risk in any given year.
For more information, please email the Environment Agency.
