The Environment Agency has said that the next step towards the construction of Padiham’s £9 million flood scheme will start this week when ground investigation work begins on proposed sites.

Padiham Bridge on the River Calder in Lancashire

The Agency will carry out the investigations including digging of trial pits and boreholes to identify foundations and underground services at sites across the town, which sits on the River Calder in Lancashire, with work expected to last 8 weeks

The essential investigation work will allow the Environment Agency, Burnley Borough Council and other partners to anticipate any issues and plan effectively for the construction phase.

Plans for the scheme itself include new and enhanced flood walls, earth embankments as well as modifications to the local highways.

Works are also set to include additional environmental, biodiversity and amenity improvements with the defences closely linked to local growth and regeneration, as part of the Northwest Burnley Growth Corridor, which has received £5.2m for all works in Padiham from Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Deal Programme.

Andy Brown, Flood Risk Manager at the Environment Agency, said:

“This is a step closer to constructing the Padiham Flood Risk Management Scheme and will build on the outline work and proposals shared with the community in October 2019.

“By delivering these minor works ahead of constructing the main flood alleviation scheme, we will be able to reduce the risk of unknown issues coming to light and keep any disruption for the local community, whilst this work takes place, to a minimum.”

Steve Fogg, Chair of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership added:

'’It’s great to hear the investigative works are about to commence for the flood risk management scheme. Improvements to Padiham’s flood defences will complement the wider growth and regeneration work of the NW Burnley Growth Corridor Scheme, in which the LEP has invested £5.2m from its Growth Deal Funding to boost the vitality of the town centre.

“Flooding can have a devastating effect on communities and businesses, and the investigative works starting on site means Padiham is a step closer to having a flood management scheme in place to help mitigate the flood risk for the town.’’

Further site investigations will also be taking place on the ground in Padiham between January and March 2021. These are the final major investigations and will help the Environment Agency to better understand the condition of existing walls already in place along the riverbanks, the local ground water conditions and any risks posed by old mining works in the area.

Once completed, the Padiham Flood Risk Management Scheme will better protect over 150 homes, businesses, public buildings and key infrastructure. The scheme will manage flood risk along the River Calder, Green Brook and surface water risk on the highways.

The detailed designs of the Padiham scheme are currently in progress and are due for completion in spring 2021. The legally required planning, consents, agreements and approvals will subsequently be submitted and confirmed.

Up to £170 million of government funding was announced in July 2020 to accelerate work on ‘shovel-ready’ flood defence schemes to begin construction in 2020 or 2021. Padiham was one of the beneficiaries, with an investment of £2 million, providing an immediate boost to jobs supporting the local economy.