Confirmation has now been received that Phase Two of the Padiham Flood Defence Scheme is to be constructed in full, and with planning permission in place and Phase One complete, work will start imminently.
Commenting on the news, Jamie McGowan who is Deputy Leader of Burnley Conservatives on Burnley Borough Council said:
"Whilst we all had serious concerns about the increased cost of the Padiham flood defences, this is brilliant news for residents and businesses!
The full scheme will now go ahead thanks to pressure from the previous MP Antony Higginbotham and local Councillors who have worked with the Environment Agency to get the remaining funding in place.
All members at the last Full Council agreed, this is beyond politics as we just wanted to see homes and local shops protected from a repeat of 2015. Happy that this will now be the case."
Antony Higginbotham, former Member of Parliament for Burnley and Padiham said:
"This is great news. I couldn’t be prouder to have played my part in getting this scheme from being spoken about for 4 years from 2015-2019, to phase one being constructed, and phase two planned and ready to go with funding all but secured, in the four and a half years I was the MP.
But it was always a partnership. The EA have been brilliant, the council worked diligently, and we all pushed in the same direction.
Of course the new MP, and the Labour Govt will try and claim it’s all them, but everyone can see what they’re doing. If it’s a “difficult decision” it’s because they didn’t have a choice and all down to the last government. If it’s a spending decision for something like this, it’s all them and nothing to do with the work that went in for years beforehand."
You can keep up to date on the progress of construction by going to https://thefloodhub.co.uk/padiham/.
