Leeds residents told to prepare for floods as heavy rain sets off defences
It comes after a spate of storms with heavy downpours that hit the city
Last updated 16th Dec 2023
Leeds City Council has told residents in the city to "prepare for flooding" after a spate of heavy rainfall set off the city's flood defence scheme.
The Council said that the consistent and intense named storms that have hit the city - and the country as a whole - was a "cause for concern", which was made worse by strong winds and several wintry conditions.
Leeds has been particularly affected by the recent weather conditions, with heavy rainfall hitting the city hard in July, October and November.
The city has bore the brunt of much of the rain, with this year's rainfall rates reaching their highest in over thirty years.
Residents have also been impacted by the numerous named storms that have battered the UK - with the city especially feeling the effects of Storms Elin and Fergus that made landfall last weekend.
The frequency of the storms has become concerning for the Council, as this is the fastest the storms have hit the UK since the naming system was started in 2015.
Leeds Council's multi-million pound flood defence system was triggered during the strong winds that came from Storm Babet in October.
Babet caused the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme to be activated for the ninth time since it was installed, and was almost needed again during Elin and Fergus as they brought heavy downpours to the region.
Construction on the flood defences is continuing, with the first phase of the scheme being completed earlier this year. The second phase of construction is ongoing and is set to finish in the spring.
The initiative is set to protect over 1,500 extra homes and businesses, as well as vital infrastructure including Leeds train station, as the flood walls stretch from the station to Apperley Bridge.
Once complete, the defences should bring the risk of flooding down to a 0.5% chance in a given year, with climate change factored in.
Councillor Helen Hayden, Executive Member for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure at Leeds Council said: "We have seen some important milestones on the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme this year, and I would like to thank everyone working on the scheme for their hard work, as well as all the landowners and residents who have worked with us to ensure that this state-of-the-art feat of engineering becomes a reality.
"It is a vital part of the plan to ensure that thousands of people and livelihoods in Leeds are more resilient to the increased threats of the climate emergency."