Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Plans submitted for £81m flood defences
The plans have now been submitted, and are available to be viewed, and for comments to be made, at Calderdale's website here.
The planning reference is 25/00947/FUL.
Submissions should be made by 15 October.
The Flood Alleviation Scheme includes:
- the repair and reconstruction of the river walls on Hebden Water and the River Calder
- construction of new walls within St Pols Car Park
- construction of vertical rising flood barriers on Bridge Gate and Old Gate
- repair and reinforcement of specific properties
- modification to five weirs
- replacement of Central Street Footbridge
- reinforcement of two bridges across Hebden Water
- two construction compounds
- landscaped public open spaces
- demolition of outbuildings to the rear of 35 West End along Hebden Water and associated landscaping
Hebden Bridge Flood wardens have issued a message from Andrew Entwistle, their lead flood warden, on the flood alleviation scheme. Andrew has been a flood warden since 2014, so has a great deal of experience and understanding of the effects of flooding in our town.
"I have no problem with objections to the Hebden Bridge Flood Alleviation Scheme. However, I note that there's a lot of untrue information out there; please stop.
I'd like to highlight the following points:
Timescale And Scope
- It's correct that the scheme is a large project; it has to make up for 60 years of neglect for there has been little or no repair or improvement of the flood defences in Hebden.
- The scheme is projected to take around 4 years, not 5 or 6.
Some action has already been undertaken to reduce the impact of surface water flooding. More Natural Flood management is being undertaken on the higher ground already and more will be carried out later.
- The scheme will significantly improve the flood defences of the town. It will reduce the impact of another 2015 flood once completed. That is a given. The modelling of the scheme has shown that it will provide significant protection from flooding which has devasted our town and limited business and employment expansion.
Consultation
- The proposed scheme has been 9 years in the making, there has been extensive community involvement following the catastrophic 2015 floods. The consultations have been extensive as this affects all the good folk of Hebden Bridge. We all use the town centre, the schools and the businesses, the very businesses which recovered and are prepared for the inevitable flooding.
- The work along Hebden Water, including the Wavy Steps, has been planned following intensive consultations with local groups to be as sensitive as possible but to also provide protection to that very vulnerable area. The walls to support the raising barriers have been kept to a minimum, yet will be adequate to provide protection.
*Local councillors, including the Parish Council have been involved from the very beginning also invited to attend and comment at the regular informative Stakeholder meetings held by the EA and Calderdale Council.
Disruption
- There is a lot of work that needs to be done, but it won't all happen at once. It will be staggered over time to minimise disruption.
* True, there will still be disruption which will unfortunately affect the businesses in the town. There is the offer of compensation to assist traders cope with that disruption.
- There will be some loss of parking spaces, that is inevitable if we are to have meaningful protection for the town.
- Traffic disruption has also been given a great deal of thought following representations from the wider community. There will be no disruption similar to the Mytholmroyd scheme. As vehicles and equipment are moved around, Stop/Go boards will be used when required. It is inevitable that temporary lights will be required when work on West End bridge is repaired and strengthened. That will be for weeks/months, not years.
- Calder Holmes Park: the EA will only use the Park if they are unable to lease a suitable piece of land for a compound. The EA are actively seeking an alternative to the Park and are speaking to landowners to achieve this goal.
- One can't disagree that the works may well be a problem for our tourist-based town, however it may well bring in those who wish to witness the increasing protection for our town.
- The work is planned to minimise disruption as much as possible.
Once more, I repeat, this scheme will significantly improve the flood defences. The present crumbling defences are long past their sell by date. They definitely do not provide any protection now to the town.
Again, I repeat, there has been extensive consultation and the scheme has always as a priority taken into account the appearance and individuality of our quirky townscape.
This scheme may not be perfect, but we do need it. Sadly, I don't believe Hebden Bridge will survive another serious flood. We are vulnerable and if this scheme is not carried out, there will be nothing done to protect our town."
Links
Have your say on the Calderdale Planning web page
Have your say on the HebWeb Discussion Forum
Myth busting points from Eye on Calderdale
Hebden Bridge Flood Prevention Plans - HebWeb, March 2025
The February 2020 flood, HebWeb
HebWeb Feature on the 2015 Boxing Day Flood
July 2012 Flood, as it happened, HebWeb
The 2012 June Floods, HebWeb
