Pioneering plans to protect 4,000 homes from flooding

The £20m Cottingham and Orchard Park Flood Alleviation Scheme (COPFAS) is a joint project between East Riding and Hull councils and has been revised following a public consultation in June last year.

It has been designed by project engineers from East Riding Council, who will be on hand to answer questions, explain the scheme and demonstrate computer drainage simulations at the exhibition at Cottingham Darby and Joan Hall, in Finkle Street, on Thursday, February 21, from 10am to 7pm.

It is one of three joint anti-flooding projects the authorities are working on, including the £14m Willerby and Derringham Flood Alleviation Scheme (WaDFAS), and the Anlaby East Ella Flood Alleviation Scheme (AEEFAS), although the latter is at an early feasibility stage.

East Riding Council’s portfolio holder for highways, infrastructure and emergency planning, Coun Chris Matthews, said: “The council takes the issue of flooding very seriously and the three schemes, worked on jointly with Hull City Council, will help reduce the risk of flooding for over 10,000 properties in both the East Riding and Hull.

“The designs for this and the WaDFAS and AEEFAS projects have involved computer modelling works to look at the urban catchment and the model is one of the most complex drainage models attempted in the UK, and possibly even in Europe.

“This event will provide residents with an opportunity to provide the design team with constructive feedback and discuss the scheme as a whole.”

The COPFAS scheme is expected to be fully funded by the Environment Agency and the European Regional Development Fund, and a business case will be submitted in the spring.

It would see a series of lagoons created in the Eppleworth Road area and work could start in the middle of next year.

The city council’s portfolio holder for environment and transport, Coun Martin Mancey, said: “I hope residents will go along to the exhibition to see the plans and talk about what is proposed.”