Calderdale Council approves £92m flood prevention work

Calderdale Council has approved an investment of £92 million as part of its Local Flood Risk Management Strategy, to prevent damage from severe flooding.

The news comes after more than 3,000 properties were flooded in the region on Boxing Day 2015, causing an estimated £150 million of damage.

In a council document, the authority said: "The tangible cost of the floods is significant as is the emotional cost to both individuals and communities. Although any loss of life was thankfully avoided, the threat of this is ever present considering the complex nature of flooding experienced within Calderdale.”

Planned improvement works include increasing the resilience of the Leeds to Manchester railway and major roads in the area and reducing flooding through land management techniques.

Barry Collins, deputy council leader, said: "It is absolutely crucial to make clear just how deadly serious those floods were last Boxing Day. Had it not been a holiday, in my view people would have been killed.

"The water came down the main road in Mytholmroyd at first floor level. Had children been in school, just try and imagine what would have happened."