Burnley Council and Environment Agency secure £19m. funding shortfall to complete vital flood defence scheme in Padiham

The Burnley Express revealed in May that work on the key infrastructure project was due to pause due to a huge funding gap caused by rising construction costs and the “complexities” of the site.

Padiham has suffered from a number of huge flooding incidents in recent years, notably the Boxing Day floods of 2015.

However, the new announcement follows the recent approval of planning permission for the scheme last month.

Coun. Afrasiab Anwar, leader of Burnley Council, expressed his relief over the government’s decision.

He said: “We are thrilled with the government’s commitment to fully fund the Padiham flood defence scheme shortfall. This funding will enable the Environment Agency to move forward with confidence and complete the necessary defences to safeguard our town.

“We must do everything within our power to protect Padiham from the devastating events of Boxing Day 2015, and this scheme is a critical step in ensuring that history does not repeat itself. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our dedicated council officers and the Environment Agency for their relentless hard work and collaboration in bringing this project to fruition. Their efforts have been instrumental in achieving this milestone.”

Coun. Anwar also emphasised why it was imperative that all local parties collaborated to ensure focus remained on the community’s needs and thanked fellow group leaders, business leaders, and residents for their support:

“Throughout this process, we have worked diligently to ensure that the flood defence scheme was not used as a political football,” he added.

“Our priority has always been the safety and well-being of Padiham’s residents and businesses. I am particularly pleased that, after some robust dialogue, communication between Whitehall and the council has significantly improved. This collaborative spirit has been key to securing the necessary funding.”

Fiona Duke, Environment Agency flood risk manager for Lancashire, said: “Reducing flood risk for the people of Padiham is one of our top priorities and our teams have been working on the flood scheme with residents, Burnley Borough Council and local organisations since 2018.

“While having to pause the scheme was frustrating, we are delighted we can now carry on delivering the scheme and better protect local communities from flooding.”

The Padiham Flood Risk Management Scheme includes the construction of flood walls, earth embankments, and modifications to highways, aimed at better protecting over 150 homes, businesses, public buildings, and key infrastructure in central Padiham.

The project is a collaborative effort between Burnley Council, the Environment Agency, and other partners. This additional funding supplements the funding that has been secured from various partners including the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

It was revealed in May that the costs of the project had more than quadrupled since 2020 to £37 million.

Burnley Council had secured nearly £5 million toward the project through the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and other funding partners.