Landslide continues amid search for responsibility for cause of flooding in Halifax

Cabinet member for Climate Action, Active Travel and Housing, Cllr Scott Patient, said the Council understood the concern and he empathised and sympathised with the position residents of Templars Gate, Wheatley, find themselves in, having suffered flooding at his own home.

However the Council’s role will be use its influence and powers to ensure it appropriate action was taken once responsibility for the flooded land is established.

The Council has no responsibility or liability either as riparian owner or a landowner, said Cllr Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot).

As a consequence although it will continue to work with partners over the issue it will not install any monitoring equipment or carry out any works to stabilise the hillside.

Penny Hutchinson on behalf of residents questioned what was happening at a meeting of the full Calderdale Council.

“Land has already slid into residents’ properties and one hasn’t been able to use their garden all year.

“We would like to know what is being done to ensure no further damage is done to properties as land is still sliding almost twice weekly into their properties,” she said.

Cllr Abigail Carr (Lib Dem, Warley) said developers of land behind Templars Gate had gone into receivership with it transferring to the Crown.

In the last six months the problem has worsened, with ward Councillors and Halifax MP Holly Lynch becoming involved.

“As the land is now moving, residents are understandably becoming increasingly concerned about the possibility of further landslide,” she said.

Cllr Patient said the Council had been working with residents and partners to investigate the potential source of flooding over many months.

Investigations had been unable to identify a single source of flow or mechanism leading to the land instability, and were also unable to rule out a potential contribution from Yorkshire Water’s (YW) aqueduct which runs along the top of the hillside, said Cllr Patient.

The Council has escalated this with YW who have carried out investigations which confirm there are a number of leaks from the aqueduct.

“While YW continue to investigate, we believe there is a potential correlation between the leaks identified in the aqueduct and the saturation of the land behind Templer’s Gate and the subsequent land instability.

“Throughout, the Council consistently advised residents to seek their own independent legal and technical advice and more recently to commission their own monitoring of the hillside.

“We’ve also written to YW to suggest they install appropriate apparatus and undertake their own monitoring as a matter of priority while the investigations are continuing,” said Cllr Patient.

He said responsibility for the damaged water course has not yet been established.

“The Council in its capacity as lead local flood authority have investigated this issue, provided information to residents and partners and continue to help support all parties in helping to understand possible causes.

“However, in the course of discharging its duties the Council doesn’t have an obligation to take action to prevent flooding.

“We are aware that recent physical investigations and changes to the watercourse have taken place.

“We are investigating this as a matter of priority and are working with partners including YW and Barrett/David Wilson Homes to understand the implications of this.

“However, should responsibility for the flooding or land instability be established, we would look to use our influence and powers if applicable to ensure appropriate action was taken,” said Cllr Patient.