Descriptions of demonstration projects
At the local level the WP3 Demonstration Projects of Rotherham and Sheffield are central to the MARE project. The extreme Floods events in 2000 and 2007 have focused attention locally on the issue and as a result of this the risk assessment process has been undertaken more thoroughly.
The regeneration Renaissance driver for Rotherham towns’ future after decline and a need to restructure the role and use mix of perhaps 50-60% of the town centre core area is a huge task that is compromised if the flood risk issue cannot be resolved.
River Catchment flow modelling is undertaken by EA and our scheme in Rotherham has utilized that model and fed back into it.
Full Options analysis was undertaken including the current knowledge of climate change impact.
With regard to Rotherham a considerable public investment has been made in Phase 1 of the Templeborough to Rotherham Flood Alleviation Scheme. This was planned and delivered within the Objective 1 Structural Fund period. It was hoped to continue directly into Phase 2 with ERDF Transition funding but this now seems unlikely to be achieved with funding cut backs.
The task in MARE project is how to bring forward Phase 2 of the flood alleviation scheme covering and area of around 60-100 hectares of flood zone in an incremental way and build in the transnational experience of climate change knowledge and response solutions. This lies at the heart of the Rotherham town centre riverside Renaissance area. Unless flood risk can be addresses the risk of loss of existing commercial uses and the risk of failure to deliver new mixed sue developments in the town centre is compromised. The outcomes of the demonstration project will be a delivery model and business case and a policy resolution through SFRA 2 and Design Guidance. The partners include RMBC EA and landowners/ business community affected.
The city of Sheffield covers a large area of the upper Don including many of its tributaries which flow from the rural hinterland into the City. The Environment Agency’s (EA) Catchment Flood Management plan (CFMP) should in due course provide the guidance as to the interventions best placed in order to deliver flood risk management. This will include a variety of approaches that could deliver benefits downstream in Rotherham. The EA Don Strategy is a study sat within the CFMP process which over the next two years will provide a greater understanding of the options.
The Sheffield MARE Demonstration projects are already looking at some of these approaches unfortunately without the prior knowledge of this study. However, the Nursery Street project involves urgent protection to inner city communities and businesses affected by the 2007 flood, which is seen as politically a high priority. This project is therefore proceeding as an isolated project delivering 1 in 100 year plus climate change protection. Protection in this case is delivering multiple benefits including improvements in riverside environments.
On the edge of Sheffield a river flow storage project is also being explored to understand its impact on downstream communities affected by the 2007 floods. Results from this show immediate positive impacts, but are complicated by the impacts of other downstream tributaries. The investment needed however, in this and projects like it, is considerable and will rely on creative funding mixes to deliver multi-beneficial projects. The EA Sheffield study will provide some clarity to the role of this sort of project in relation to the defence projects like at Nursery Street.
The third demonstration area for Sheffield is the Lower Don Valley, the industrial heartland to Sheffield. Sheffield City Council is working with a consortium of businesses and developers to seek ERDF funding for flood protection. Presently this is focusing on traditional defences in the light of present understanding of the River Don flows. It is hoped that MARE can support innovation in delivering this approach in making the most of the river as an environmental asset, building in adaptability and considering the consequences of overtopping defences. It is hoped that early understanding from the Sheffield Study may reveal influences on the Lower Don approach. However, the uncertainty of delivery of an array of interventions at different parts of the catchment over an unknown time period may promote individual site protection with limited reference to other potential schemes elsewhere.
Successful acquisition of funding to all projects will be to some extent based on level of priority in terms of flood risk. Sheffield is regarded not as a top priority and therefore places greater emphasis on creative projects with different benefits including flood protection.
