CONSTRUCTION has started on the second phase of a flood defence scheme in Radcliffe and Redvales

The North West Environment Agency (NWEA) said that the work will help create a climate resilient future for residents.

The multi-million pound scheme is set to reduce flood risk to hundreds of homes and businesses across the two areas.

Photos released by the NWEA show a digger removing land to prepare for the new defences.

The £40 million scheme will be delivered in three parts and will not only reduce the risk of flooding to hundreds of local homes and businesses, but also aim to keep transport routes and infrastructure open during times of flood.

This will help to maintain vital links in an area that has been severely affected by flooding on a number of occasions.

Work on the Flood Alleviation Scheme will see a combination of traditional walls and embankments, along with new wetland habitat, as part of a catchment wide approach to reducing flood risk.

The project also incorporates a flagship Natural Flood Management (NFM) programme. Natural flood management is when natural processes are used to reduce the risk of flooding.

The team is working with partners and landowners across the catchment to deliver a range of measures, such as the Lower Hinds wetland and other natural features. These techniques will hold back water to help reduce the flow of rainwater into the river and help reduce the impacts of climate change.

Locations being worked on this month include Warth Road, Central Avenue, Whitefield Road, Dumers Lane and York Street. When works begin, much of the left bank of the river will be inaccessible from Lower Hinds (at the top of Warth Road) to Hardy’s Gate Bridge.

Peter Costello, Area Flood and Coastal Risk Manager said: “It is heartening to see the next stage of this ambitious scheme to reduce the risk of flooding across Radcliffe and Redvales starting.

"Seeing further work happening on the ground will hopefully give reassurance to residents and businesses owners that soon they will have measures in place to prevent a repeat of the catastrophic damage and pain caused by the impact of past flooding incidents.

“The scheme itself is a perfect example of the value of partnership working but also how when we are designing and building these incredible structures, we can regenerate the natural environment and public spaces while still making communities more flood resilient for the future."