Residents to hear of £1m flood defences

The Oakenshaw Beck scheme is almost finished and the Environment Agency is inviting people to find out more on Thursday, October 20.

It has involved the building of a flood embankment and creating an extra channel to take water away from the beck during heavy rainfall and comes after the area was severely flooded in 2007.

Staff from the Environment Agency and Wakefield Metropolitan District Council will be on hand to talk to people on Thursday, October 20, 10am-noon, in the car park opposite Agbrigg Community Centre in Montague Street, Agbrigg.

Project manager, Ash Hussain, said: “In June 2007 severe flooding affected large areas of Agbrigg including 400 homes and businesses. This scheme will reduce the risk of that flooding happening again and help to protect the community for many years to come.

“It can take some time to deliver a scheme like this, however we were able to build it more quickly at Agbrigg thanks to our partnership with Wakefield Metropolitan District Council.”

The channel diversion and storage area will only be used when the beck levels are high in times of flooding. During normal conditions the beck will flow naturally in its original channel.

To complement the scheme the Environment Agency has also helped to set up a new flood warden scheme in Agbrigg and a new flood warning service for Oakenshaw Beck.

Eight residents have offered to act as volunteer wardens. They will keep an eye on the beck and play an important role in making the community more aware of the flood risk.

People can find out if they are eligible for a free flood warning by visiting the website www.environment-agency.gov.uk