Strategy to Tackle Flood Risk

Rochdale Borough Council has published its Flood Risk Management Strategy setting out how it proposes to address significant flood risks in the borough including working in partnership with the Environment Agency and United Utilities.
The Strategy has been produced as part of the Council’s role as a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) established in the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. It will set out its legal duties which include responsibility for managing flooding from surface water and a shared responsibility with the Environment Agency for flood risk from rivers. The strategy will identify areas at significant risk and a series of objectives for flood risk management to help reduce flood risk from rivers and surface water and to raise awareness of flood risk and how residents, communities and businesses can be better prepared for flooding and take steps to help to reduce flood risk that could affect them.

Mark Robinson, Head of Planning, said: “This strategy will raise awareness of where we have significant flood risks and help the council and the community be better prepared to address them. It sets out how we will work as a Council with our local communities to reduce flood risk and its causes many of which require us to work closely with our partners in the Environment Agency and United Utilities.”

Significant risk is defined as areas where flooding could result in significant damage to residential property, danger to people, disruption to economic activity and infrastructure such as power, roads and rail in the borough.

Flood risk from rivers in the borough comes mainly from the River Roch and its main tributaries in Littleborough and central Rochdale with pockets found elsewhere in Middleton, Milnrow and Newhey. There is also risk from surface water in many parts of the borough, which is significant in Heywood, Littleborough and central Rochdale.

The objectives of the strategy are to:

• Understand flood risks better;
  
• Communicate risks and responses more effectively;
  
• Help people, communities and businesses to be prepared;
  
• Work as Lead Local Flood Authority with other flood risk management agencies such as the Environment Agency; 
  
• Ensure development and land management do not increase the risk of flooding and contribute to sustainable drainage;
  
• Ensure actions help communities and the environment be more resilient to climate change, as well as help deliver a clean and safe water environment that is rich in wildlife and opportunities for enjoyment. 
  

The document sets out the authority’s 10 year plan to tackle flood risk, which will be updated annually and refreshed after five years.

Early consultation work was carried out with stakeholders in February and September last year, with the Flood Risk Management Strategy available for public consultation via the council’s website between 28 October and 29 November 2013. Printed copies were also available Rochdale Central, Middleton, Heywood and Littleborough libraries. 

To read the Flood Risk Management Strategy visit www.rochdale.gov.uk/flood-strategy