Fury as flood defence project halted because of rising cost

Officers at the agency say they are putting plans on ice while they discuss the best way forward with their project partners after it emerged the original scheme needed further work to ensure public safety. Those changes would more than double the cost.

Staff were planning to start building a series of flood storage areas this summer but the agency now say it is clear that the requirements of the Reservoirs Act 1975 combined with the complex nature of the site means that costs for the scheme will need to increase significantly.

The Government had hailed the eco-friendly defence scheme as long ago as 2009 and pledged money for the Slowing the Flow project in Ryedale.

But the agency says it has put plans for the current design on hold because public safety cannot be compromised.

It has fears about the safety requirements of the proposed reservoirs and the need under the legislation to class them as a high risk to public safety if they failed. This means they need to be designed to a higher standard than originally planned, which would take the scheme over budget.

Environment Agency area manager Craig McGarvey said: “This is an innovative pilot project which developed a new approach to reducing flood risk, however this has highlighted a unique set of issues.

“We have sought advice from a range of experts, discussed the issue with the independent reservoir engineers for nearly a year and used the latest in modelling technology to develop a design that complies with the legislation and could be built within the current budget. Unfortunately it has become clear that this is not possible.

“I know it is incredibly disappointing news that building work won’t start this year however we will explore ways of how we can make this happen, and we won’t rest until we have identified every option.”

Staff have been in discussion with reservoir experts and it is now evident the scheme needs to be classed as a Category A reservoir – the highest standard – because of the risk to public safety if it were to fail.

This issue, combined with the major engineering challenges of the location due to the proximity of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and the nature of the river means that the scheme is not viable within the current budget.

To build to the higher standard would increase the cost from £1.35m to an estimated £3.2m.

A furious Keith Knaggs, leader of Ryedale District Council said: “This shock announcement that the Pickering flood defence scheme, which until this morning was expected to happen this autumn, is yet another instance of the Environment Agency raising expectations then dashing them again.

“It is hugely damaging to the Agency’s credibility as a deliverer of results and a further example of its reluctance to keep partners, who, in Ryedale District Council’s case were putting up most of the money, informed on a timely basis.

“To announce nine months after they came back for an extra £200,000 that it’s actually an extra £2m, triple the figure they first thought of, does not exactly enhance the reputation of Environment Agency management.

“As leader of Ryedale District Council I call for an immediate meeting with the Agency to establish what has changed and what can be done – now not in three weeks time.

“I remain to be convinced that this is the full story.”

Anne McIntosh, Tory MP for Thirsk, Malton and Filey said: “There will be huge disappointment in Pickering and amongst all the partners concerned, Pickering Town Council, Ryedale District Council, North Yorkshire Moors National Park, the Forestry Commission and others.”