Flood storage area planned to protect homes

A new flood storage area could be created on land to the north of Sheffield to reduce the risk of flooding in areas including Kelham Island, Neepsend and Owlerton.

The Environment Agency (EA) wants to buy a site in Wharncliffe Side, but despite a number of discussions the landowner has shown "no appetite" to sell, so the agency is looking at using a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPOS) to secure the site.

A flood storage area is a site where water can be diverted from a river and safely stored during periods of prolonged and intensive rainfall and high river levels.

The stored water is then released back into network when the river levels have reduced.

A report published ahead of next week's transport, regeneration and climate policy said areas of Sheffield between Kelham Island and Neepsend/Owlerton were significantly impacted by flooding from the River Don in 2007.

The area also came very close to flooding in 2012, 2019, 2021 and 2023.

The EA is asking the council to endorse a CPO and said there was "a compelling case in the public interest for the acquisition of land at Wharncliffe Side for use as a flood storage area".

The Local Democracy Service said legally, the powers were not directly available to the council in this instance.

The report said the EA acting as the council's strategic partner would have to seek those powers on the council's behalf.

"Sheffield City Council may inform the Environment Agency as to why, in its view, a CPO is justified.

"This would be to state that there is a compelling case in the public interest that sufficiently justifies interfering with the rights of those with an interest in the land affected."

It said the committee could decide to endorse a CPO but "the responsibility for determining whether the reasons are valid belongs to the Environment Agency as it would be the EA's responsibility to ensure that it had lawfully decided to make a CPO".

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