EFFORTS to strengthen St Helens' flood defences have been welcomed amid calls for increased government support for innovative projects in the area.

The call came from Conor McGinn, St Helens North MP, as he welcomed Rebecca Pow, the government minister responsible for flooding, to Blackbrook to see the natural flood defences at Sankey Valley Park. 

Also joining Mr McGinn and Minister Pow were Cllr Andy Bowden, St Helens Council cabinet member for environment and transport, Cllr Anthony Burns, member for wellbeing, culture and heritage and senior officials from the Environment Agency and Mersey Forest.

Sections of Blackbrook experience repeat flooding from both river and surface water sources, and the area has a five per cent change of flooding on any given year.

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This places at risk some 18 local properties – including three businesses and key sections of the busy Blackbrook Road, Stanley Bank Way and West End Road.

New ‘leaky dams’ - natural dams made from tree trunks – were installed in 2017 at the Sankey Valley catchment of St Helens, in a collaborative effort by St Helens Council, the Environment Agency and Mersey Forest, to combat the risk and improve flood resilience.

Four years on, the dams have been upheld internationally as examples of effective and efficient flood defences. In total, they can hold back some 2,500,000 litres of water – the equivalent of an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

 

Minister Rebecca Pow in Blackbrook during gthe visit

Minister Rebecca Pow in Blackbrook during the visit

Mr McGinn has lobbied Ministers for more support to bolster St Helens’ flood defences since his election in 2015.

Following the visit, the Labour MP praised the work of local partners working on the Sankey Valley project, and spoke of the additional benefits from strengthened flood defences which could be unlocked with the right backing from central government.

Conor McGinn said: “It was good to see the work we’re doing together with Labour-led St Helens Council, the Environment Agency and Mersey Forest to protect people’s homes, businesses, infrastructure and the wider communities in Blackbrook and Rainford by reducing the risk of flooding.

“I was delighted that the minister was able to visit us and see the important progress we’ve made on flood resilience in St Helens Borough. I stressed the need for this to be developed even further with a comprehensive national strategy and high levels of support from central government if we’re to continue strengthening our defences for the future, and deliver the environmental and economic gains this brings.”