By John Baron
Senior councillors are set to approve the formation of a social enterprise to help manage natural flood prevention measures in the Upper Aire catchment to prevent Leeds from flooding.
The Aire Resilience Company Community Interest Company (CIC) would be a not-for-profit company wholly owned by the council but set up specifically to utilise a blend of public and private funding to deliver a catchment wide natural flood management programme.
Nature-based solutions includes better management of land in the Upper Aire catchment area, including tree planting and encouraging farming practice changes.
A report to councillors on the decision-making executive board says the company would be a unique blend of public and private funding to sustainably fund capital and revenue interventions in key locations.
Funding will include £1.8 million in capital public grants with £400,000 annually in private revenue.
Councillors will hear that without an established and effective natural flood management programme the city’s flood defences could be overwhelmed by a Storm Eva Boxing Day-type flood by as early as 2039. It’s hoped the new company would see the defences remain effective until 2069.
The report says the delivery plan is based on implementing 1,304 hectares of nature-based solutions and planting and managing 750,000 trees across the upper Aire catchment, slowing the flow of water into the river, taking pressure off existing flood defences.
“Natural flood management measures take time to establish and need to be monitored and maintained over a long period of time in order to be effective,” the report adds.
“Nature-based solutions delivered in the right place in the catchment and properly secured and maintained can create a highly cost effective, adaptable and scalable long-term flood management benefit for Leeds.”
A number of high-profile Leeds businesses have confirmed their support including ITV, Yorkshire Water, Jacobs, Arup, Leeds Building Society and the University of Leeds.
The full council report to be considered by councillors next Wednesday can be read in full here (item number 11.)