Doncaster Scrutiny Committee
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APPENDIX A Doncaster Scrutiny Committee Yorkshire Area briefing note: January 2009 Introduction The purpose of this briefing note is to update the Scrutiny Committee on the works undertaken since the flooding of summer 20007. We wish to support the future wealth of South Yorkshire through an excellent environment and a better place to live for its people Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) and Area Agreements (LAAs) We are continuing to support all four South Yorkshire LSPs particularly in terms of: Reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Sharing our own internal environment policies, performance and carbon reduction plans as best practice. Networking across LSPs in Yorkshire and sharing research outputs. Regulating major industrial sources of emissions. Adapting to climate change. Our focus here is advising our partners about flood risk management, how to protect the natural environment in a changing climate and preparing for drought. Regeneration Opportunities The river corridors provide an important opportunity for us to work in partnership with local authorities and developers. The Centenary Riverside flood protection scheme in Rotherham is an example of combining civil engineering works with a new local amenity and open space whilst supporting regeneration in Rotherham. We are looking to provide advice and where possible work in partnership with developers and local authorities to grasp similar opportunities along the corridors of the Rivers Don and Dearne. Our partnership project in the Dearne Valley is another example of us working to reconnect local people to their environment and realising it as an asset. Interreg / MARE catchment wide bid Rotherham and Sheffield officers led the bid for funds with Barnsley and Doncaster as partners and the EA as a learning partner. This bid was successful and the funds will be used to consider flooding across the catchment from all sources. The project has two elements of note . Firstly, demonstration projects in Sheffield / Rotherham urban centres. Secondly, the development of a Don Catchment wide Action Alliance seeking joint working to reduce flood risk. Flood Risk Management CFMPs - These have been signed off by our Regional Director, Toby Willison and summary reports are currently being prepared. These will be posted on the website in the spring. The full document will be available on request. The summary documents set out the policy direction for each sub area. We will work with local authorities to develop more detailed action plans (LAA No. 189). Business Resilience - Robin Bailey is our business resilience advisor (Mobile No. 07768 006410). He has visited many of the larger businesses to offer advice, but is finding it more difficult to engage small and medium enterprises. We held open session at Sheffield, Leeds and Hull Cambers of Commerce. We have also visited other Chambers to plan future events. Maintenance Activities - We have undertaken major tree and shoal removal throughout the area to remove debris washed down in the floods. We plan to do similar work on the River Don in January. We have installed standby generators at our regulators on the River Rother in case of electricity supply failure. Asset Repairs & Capital Schemes - Following last year’s floods we have repaired assets throughout South Yorkshire including: River Don embankment under new road bridge at Three Horseshoes PH, Doncaster Wall repairs at Newton Farm, Doncaster Reservoir repairs at Houghton, Dearne Valley Stainforth wall emergency repairs Bentley Pumping station electricity substation and access track Ea Beck Outfall piles, study into corrosion The Rotherham Scheme Phase 1 has now been completed: The Stainforth Scheme will start on site by January 2009. Don Strategy - We continue to develop the Don Strategy and draft options should be available by the beginning of 2009. We will continue to further develop the options, check the benefits of them, and prepare a programme. We will consult with stakeholders from February onwards, with formal consultation from May/June. We hope to get approval from the strategy late next year. Flood Preparedness & Warnings - We have worked very closely with Local Authority Officers and the flooded communities, attending regular public meetings, drop-ins and flood awareness events. We have been “knocking on doors” in at risk areas in Doncaster, Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Chesterfield to encourage people to sign up to our free flood warning service. We have set up flood warden groups in many locations. We held a flood warden seminar on the theme of “What is your flood kit?”. Over 40 of the 100 groups in Yorkshire attended. This was an event where we shared our key messages from the flood awareness campaign; the groups shared their ideas and experiences, and had an opportunity to visit our Incident Room. We are working on a trial project with Bradford MDC and local community leaders on communicating our messages to communities where English is a second language. If this pilot is successful, we will consider doing similar work across the Area. Planning / Development Control - Key issue in the area is that a large proportion is at risk from flooding. Doncaster MBC is taking a proactive stance to implement PPS 25. They are currently producing an updated Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) and guidance notes for local developers – these guidance notes have been recognised as best practice and will now be used elsewhere in South Yorkshire. We are working closely with the planners on these and support the stance they are taking. South Yorkshire Growth Point Bid – we objected to further growth in Hatfield and Stainforth because of the flood risk there and the condition of the flood defences. Doncaster have agreed to remove these sites from the Growth Point Bid. It does appear that Doncaster (along with other Authorities) will be given Growth Point Status by the Dept of Communities and Local Government although the announcement has not yet been made. We dealt with a planning application for a Power Station on the old Hatfield Colliery site. There are some specific issues regarding abstraction from the River Don. In times of low flow, they will not be able to abstract as there is no further water available. At these times, they will have to change their operating process to deal with this. Small scale growth has been restricted in the villages of Moss and Fishlake by Doncaster planners authority (with support from the EA) This was due to a proliferation of non mains drainage foul sewage systems which had led to a deterioration of water quality in the area. We now only consider the most innovative proposals for non mains foul drainage as acceptable in this area eg. drainage mounds. For further information contact Sue O’Neill 0113 2134629 [email protected] Scheme Details Newton Farm Work here is to construct approximately 100m of flood defence wall. Work is scheduled to start 5th January 2009. The construction target is for the reinforced concrete wall to be completed by 31st March - thereby making the site 'watertight' by this date. Landscaping and work to clad the wall in natural stone will continue into April and May. Bentley Ings Electricity sub station The electricity sub station at Bentley Ings was flooded in the summer 2007 event, preventing the pumping station from operating. The proposed works will raise the sub station to the height of the Don Barrier Banks (elevating it out of the flood level). The design for these works is complete. The programme of work is already underway with the electricity scheduled to be cut off on 13th January. The main works can then be safely carried out by our contractor working in close partnership with YEDL and IUS. A temporary high voltage generator will be in place for the duration to maintain electricity supply to the pumping station. We anticipate a completion date of 28 Feb 09. Bentley Ings Access Track This scheme was to level and regrade this track and to provide marker posts for vehicles needing to access the site in flood conditions. This was completed in June 08, protecting 500 houses. Three Horseshoes Public House The requirement was to raise an existing low spot in a third party defence to the height of the adjacent barrier bank. Approximately 30m of brick clad reinforced concrete wall was installed behind the pub and the pub garden successfully reinstated. Work was completed in October 2008. Stainforth Stainforth is protected by a combination of hard defences and earth embankments totalling 2km in length, sections of which have a very high probability of failure. Emergency works to install piles along West Bank were carried out between May and July 2008. These works took longer than expected due to the vandalism to the piling rig and delays in getting an electricity service diverted. In parallel to this we are progressing additional works to improve the remaining defences in the town. Tenders have been awarded for the next phase. Our contractors, Interserve, started site clearance and preparation work from 1 December 2008. The main piling work will start after the Christmas closedown. The programme will take 52 weeks and will protect 1935 houses. Ea Beck Outfall After the flooding of June 2007 we identified the need for emergency works to the sheet piling and banks of the River Don immediately up and downstream of Ea Beck outfall to stop leakage and movement of the piles. Works were completed earlier this year to repair the piles and ensure the standard of service has been maintained. Bentley Ings Refurbishment Study At more than 65 years old, the Bentley Ings Pumping Station (completed in 1942) has exceeded its lifespan, has a number of defects and does not fully conform to current legislation. Power loss at the pumping station contributed significantly to the flooding in the Bentley area in summer 2007.