Green light for £50,000 flood defence works to protect town centre

Flood defence works, costing up to £50,000, will help protect Burnley town centre if bad weather hits this winter.
The River Brun in Burnley town centre where flood defence works are set to take place.The River Brun in Burnley town centre where flood defence works are set to take place.
The River Brun in Burnley town centre where flood defence works are set to take place.

Work on improving river walls in and around the town centre area, to reduce the risk of flooding, has already taken place and is set to continue at several sites along the rivers Brun and Calder.

Work on repairing a wall on the Calder, at the rear of the town hall, was completed earlier this year, as was work to remove gravel from the bed of the Brun next to a retaining wall in Bank Hall.

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A further £35,000 will be spent on the Bank Hall retaining wall, with £15,000 set aside for essential tree removal to help prevent damage to river “training” walls.

The council is also in discussions with the Environment Agency to carry out further improvement works to the retaining wall in Bank Hall over the winter months.

Coun. Lian Pate, executive member for community services, said: “It’s important we keep our rivers flowing as smoothly as possible to reduce the risk of flooding and damage to the river banks.

"Removing vegetation from the banks, where appropriate, and improving the river walls will help achieve this and improve the local environment.”

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The defence works began after the Boxing Day floods of 2015.

The worst hit was Padiham where many town centre shops, businesses and homes were flooded out.

Padiham Town Hall was also flooded and work is still continuing to repair it two years later.

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