A range of Leeds businesses have come together to better protect the city from future flooding by joining the Aire Resilience Company.
The Aire Resilience Company has officially commenced trading, after entering into contract with a selection of Leeds businesses.
The partnership aims to better protect Leeds from flooding – and avoid scenes like the Boxing Day 2015 floods, which left parts go the Kirkstall Valley and city centre under water.
The Aire Resilience Company (ARC) was established in 2025 through a collaboration between Leeds City Council, Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency and the Rivers Trust, supported by the Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee.
Its purpose is to establish a sustainable model to increase climate resilience for the communities and infrastructure in Leeds/the Aire catchment, as climate change brings increased chance of flooding in the coming decades.
ARC’s target is to reduce peak flows on the river by 5% during a large flood. This figure has been calculated to offset the increased river levels that we will see by the year 2069.
It will achieve this through installing natural flood management (NFM) in the upper and mid Aire catchment. NFM, such as tree planting and soil aeration, is proven to be effective in reducing flooding, improving water quality, enhancing biodiversity and increasing the productivity of farmland.
Meeting this target requires one of the largest NFM schemes in the history of the UK.
Among 15 business partners and funders joining Yorkshire Water as lead business partner are ITVm=, Leeds Bradford Airport, Lloyds Banking Group and Sainsbury’s.
Georgina Mitchell, Chair of the Board for the Aire Resilience Company, said: “The Aire Resilience Company model provides a sustainable, long-term solution to alleviating the risks of climate change that benefits everyone.
“Our business partners, delivery partners and landowners each play an integral role in creating a healthier and more resilient environment for both people and wildlife from Malham to Leeds.
“The benefits of ARC will protect the people, businesses and infrastructure of Leeds from the devastating impact of flooding. They also stretch beyond Leeds City Centre – the communities in the Upper Aire are likely to feel the benefits of improved water quality, biodiversity and improved farmland.
“Raising the funds to begin trading is an incredible milestone for Leeds.”
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