Act now to prevent more flood disaster ENVIRONMENT
EFFORTS TO tackle the NorthSouth divide and improve living standards in Yorkshire could be undermined unless more is done to tackle the region’s vulnerability to flooding, a report has warned.
Fresh from his election victory on the back of a host of wins in Labour seats across the North, Boris Johnson has been urged by IPPR North to act now to prevent a repeat of last month’s devastating flooding in South Yorkshire and that of Storm Eva on Boxing Day 2015 which caused serious damage in places such as Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, Sowerby Bridge, Todmorden and Brighouse.
The think-tank’s research fellow Jack Hunter said that while greater investment in flood defences should be a priority of the next phase of the Northern Powerhouse, ‘hard’ infrastructure like barriers and dams are only part of the solution.
Instead, he argues that greatNorth er flood resilience also needs ‘a much more holistic approach’ which focuses on how decisions about land use, agriculture, development and architectural design impact upon the overall flood risk of an area.
The Natural Assets North, Flooding in the North report calls on leaders across the to use their influence to work together towards a floodresilient North.
It says: “The North of England has considerable and undeniable potential across a wide range of sectors that, with the right strategic planning and investment, will improve the lives of people in the region and benefit the UK economy.
“Now, after decades of under-investment, there is a renewed interest from central government in the potential to improve living standards and rebalance the UK economy through investment in the North’s £300 billion economy, including under the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ brand.
“However, unless flood risk is managed appropriately, the potential for further economic, social and environmental costs of flooding may undermine the confidence of the North’s leaders, its businesses, and those who want to invest in the region – with negative impacts on the overall health of the region’s economy, and its population.”
Leaders must work together towards a flood resilient North, says think-tank
ANNIVERSARY: Four years after Boxing Day deluge - page 6