River Ribble flood defences at Preston and South Ribble first phase approved

Trees have been cut down at the top end of Broadgate bordering the River Ribble Pic: Chris Hough

Planning permission has been granted for the first two areas of the Preston and South Ribble Flood Risk Management Scheme.

An application for the scheme was submitted by the Environment Agency and Lancashire County Council as part of the £49m project to improve flood defences for 5000 homes and businesses in the Preston and South Ribble area. The application was supported by both Preston City Council and South Ribble Borough Council planning committees.

Local contractor VolkerStevin will begin construction in Autumn 2021 to replace the existing flood defences originally built between the 1920s and 1980s which are coming to the end of their life.

Andy Brown, Flood Risk Manager at the Environment Agency, said: “We want to leave a legacy that we can all be proud of and the approval of the planning application for Broadgate, Riverside and Lower Penwortham means we are on track to begin construction later this year.

“This marks a significant milestone for improving flood risk for the communities in Preston and South Ribble. We have been well supported by local communities and partners and will continue to work with them to deliver a more climate resilient city.”

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