Hundreds of thousands of new trees are to be planted as part of a multi-million pound flood defence scheme in Leeds.

The Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme aims to protect thousands of homes and properties from flooding from the River Aire.

Work on the £50 million first phase, which has introduced new modern flood protection for the city centre, Holbeck and downstream at Woodlesford, is set to be completed next month. Leeds City Council, working with the Environment Agency and BMM jV Limited, have now released details of the further measures required for phase two.

Measures proposed include a mixture of Natural Flood Management and new infrastructure:

• Creating new woodland areas by planting hundreds of thousands of tree saplings

• Where possible, using sites in Leeds to retain flood waters when levels are high. Control gates would be used to fill and then release water from the stores back into river when safe to do so.

• A new 700-metre long flood defence at Stourton with new walls and surface water interventions similar to those installed at Woodlesford as part of phase one

• Removing existing obstructions along the river to help reduce water levels, along with also lowering the riverbed in places to improve its capacity and flow


• Improving riverbank protection measures along the river catchment in Craven and Pendle, along with enhanced woodland areas and installing debris dams

• Building raised defences along with landscaping, terracing, embarkments and walls. Due to the range of natural measures, the height of any engineered defences will not need to be as high as previously projected.

In a new report set to be discussed by councillors next week, the document calls for approval to put forward a business case to the government to invest an initial £3.4m in advanced works including tree planting, vegetation and channel clearance between Rodley and Leeds Rail Station, as well as the Stourton defences and the removal of a redundant bridge at Milford Place and a platform under Gotts Bridge.

It also calls for further engagement with stakeholders on the broader measures, with all of the works on phase two estimated to cost approximately £101m in total.

Overall, a business case for the entire scheme is to be submitted to ministers by the end of this year. If approved, work could begin early in 2019.

Judith Blake, Leeds City Council Leader, said: "Following phase one which is nearing completion in the city centre, these plans take in a range of natural measures combined with engineering to provide further essential protection for Leeds.

"Working together with the government and all partners and agencies across the region is the only way to get the protective measures in place we need to give people and businesses confidence the impact of the Christmas 2015 flooding on our communities will not be repeated."

Councillor Richard Lewis added: "These proposals very much take a 'natural-first' modern and sophisticated approach to flood protection measures. With phase one the moveable weirs are making use of the latest technology, with phase two engineering is still a key part but where possible we want to use natural flood management measures and let the landscape effectively do the job for us.

"Planting thousands and thousands of new trees across the region seems simple but will bring massive benefits not only in terms of flood protection but also to air quality and for wildlife, so we very much look forward to seeing these plans develop."

(LM/JP)