New homes ‘could worsen flooding in town’

FLOOD-MANAGEMENT experts have called for a plan to build 127 homes on a hill above a market town hit by devastating flash floods last year to be reconsidered.

They say the scheme in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, could exacerbate flooding issues.

North Yorkshire County Council officials working as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) said the Yorvik Homes scheme, which would be among the rural area’s largest ever housing estates, should be rejected unless the developer identified an alternative run-off destination for surface water.

The recommendation is likely to at least delay the progress of the plan, which has divided Leyburn’s 2,100 residents between those who believe it will bring fresh impetus for improved services and others who fear it will spoil the town’s character and lead to services in the area being overwhelmed.

An extraordinary meeting of Leyburn Town Council over the development in June heard residents also raise concerns the development could cause a repeat of the flooding in July last year that left numerous homes in the town inundated.

However, the site has been earmarked for development in the local plan, despite it being close to steep, narrow watercourses.

The developer said Yorkshire Water had confirmed there were no surface-water sewers available for water to drain into but it said plots on the site had been identified where it would be possible to use soakaways.

But the LLFA said such a plan would not be suitable in this case.

The LLFA documents also highlight that Leyburn was among the worst-affected areas in the July 2019 Yorkshire Dales floods.