North Yorkshire residents invited to give their views on new strategy to reduce flood risk

In recent years, North Yorkshire has experienced a number of storms that have had a significant impact on homes, businesses and roads.

For example, Tadcaster Bridge collapsed in the Boxing Day floods of 2015, many parts of the Dales suffered in flash floods in the summer of 2019 and in January 2021 Storm Christoph caused flooding in the Malton and Norton areas.

Karl Battersby, North Yorkshire County Council’s Corporate Director of Business and Environmental Services, said: “These floods and others like them have taken a personal toll on the people affected over the years.

“As the county council and lead local flood authority, it has always been a priority to work with partners to ensure the county is as well prepared as possible to respond to the threat of floods. Severe storms are becoming more frequent, so we need to plan for that, working with communities and partners to make sure that homes, businesses and infrastructure are as well protected as possible.”

The county council’s draft Local Flood Risk Strategy for 2022 to 2027 sets out how it will work with communities and organisations responsible for managing flooding to better understand and reduce flood risk, where feasible, and support people, communities and businesses to become more resilient and better protected from flooding.

It considers climate change and looks at how natural flood management, sustainable development and community involvement can play a part in protecting the county.

People are invited to give comments and ideas by accessing the draft strategy and completing an online survey at www.northyorks.gov.uk/local-flood-risk-strategy-consultation.

The consultation will be open until Sunday June 12 and the new strategy will replace the existing one, which was launched in 2015.

If you need help in accessing the Local Flood Risk Strategy or the response form, email [email protected] or call Mark Henderson on 01609 780780.