Demolition work starts in £13m floods scheme

The four Westgate properties stand on top of a damaged culvert on Ings Beck and will have to be demolished by hand to prevent damage to the adjoining buildings.

Work has also begun on modifying the existing Fenton Dam at Kirkhamgate and preparing the ground to turn a pond in Wrenthorpe Park into a dammed area to store flood water.

The Environment Agency is building the scheme and its project manager Sally Leng said: "Work is getting under way in different parts of the town and people will start seeing more of our staff and contractors as the improvements begin to take shape.

"The scheme will help to reduce the risk of flooding to more than 700 homes and businesses from Ings Beck, and will make a difference to Wakefield's long history of flooding."

Demolition of the properties is scheduled for later this month and will allow contractors to strengthen and widen the culvert by adding another two culverts to the two that are already in place. This will increase the amount of water which can flow underneath Westgate.

The structure is too small to convey the flow of water during a flood and part of its roof is so damaged that it could collapse.

A crane will be used to remove the roofs of the properties, and the buildings will then have to be demolished using hand-held hydraulic breaking equipment.

The Environment Agency is also planning to strengthen or raise flood walls which protect properties in Wrenthorpe.

Similar work in Lyndale Drive is already drawing to a close and the agency hopes to have the work finished in the next month.

Wakefield's flooding is mainly a result of modifications to the river which provided power and transport for industry.

Serious flooding has happened five times since 1940 and there have been three floods in the last couple of years.

Anyone who wants to find out more about the Wakefield flood management scheme is invited to log on to the Environment Agency's website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wakefieldscheme