U-turn on Leven Carrs flooding plan welcomed

RELIEVED East Riding residents have spoken of their joy after controversial plans to flood 3,000 acres of prime farm land were scrapped.

The proposals, for land at Leven Carrs, between Beverley and Brandesburton, could have led to devastation in the village of Leven, according to East Riding Council leader Councillor Stephen Parnaby.

He has described the Environment Agency's U-turn on the idea as an "early Christmas present" for residents.

The organisation had originally planned to deliberately flood the land in the middle of the River Hull catchment area to create a new water storage area, in the event of heavy rainfall.

The move was aimed at protecting 800 properties downstream from flooding.

It also wanted to mothball four pumping stations it currently maintains in the middle and upper reaches of the river.

However, the plans provoked opposition from residents and the council.

Now, following research on the local drains, and after speaking with residents, the agency says the scheme would not be economic, having little – if any – effect on properties downstream.

Following the U-turn announcement, the Environment Agency also told the Mail closing pumping stations along the River Hull "was not an option".

Brandesburton farmer Martin Voase, of the River Hull Flood Action Group, said campaigners were delighted by the decision.

He said: "It's a victory for commonsense. The plans would have meant there was no escape for flood water with a big rain putting properties at risk of flooding."

Cllr Parnaby said: "The land is below sea level so to have water storage there would be ridiculous and would affect thousands of acres of land, as well as the land which would be flooded.

"Leven suffered badly in the 2007 floods. I think the total village would have been under water if there had been that water storage there."

The Environment Agency is now developing detailed proposals for managing flood risk along the River Hull and creating a draft strategy.

Speaking about the decision not to use the farmland at Leven Carrs, Thomasin Meadley, the agency's project manager for the River Hull strategy, said: "Local people were concerned at the idea and provided us with a lot of information about the area. This has helped us to prepare a more detailed study of the area and new evidence has now led us to rule out Leven Carrs."