North Yorkshire Town Seeks £750k to Avert Flood Disasters

Households in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, are set to receive help to prevent a repeat of the severe flash-flooding that occurred in summer 2019. More than £750,000 in funding is being sought for flood alleviation measures in the town.

Dozens of homes in Leyburn were flooded during heavy rainfall in July 2019, affecting over 200 properties across the Yorkshire Dales when a month's worth of rain fell in just four hours. North Yorkshire Council has submitted applications for £415,274 from the Environment Agency's Flood Defence Grant in Aid programme and an additional £340,000 from the Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee Local Levy fund.

Councillor Karin Sedgwick expressed enthusiasm for the funding bid, highlighting its importance for homes in the Mount Drive area. While communities in Wensleydale and Swaledale have already received funding, Leyburn had previously been overlooked. A report indicated that the Leyburn scheme was put on hold due to government funding cuts and shifting national priorities.

However, new funding rules from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency have made the project eligible for significant support once again. The total estimated cost of the Leyburn scheme is now approximately £850,000, with North Yorkshire Council contributing around £95,000 from its existing flood risk management budget. Initial surveys have been completed for 23 properties.