Environment Agency is delighted that, following extensive consultation with Salford City Council and other stakeholders, its consultant team of Jacobs and Axis has submitted the detailed planning application for Salford’s second flood storage basin.
Since Government allocated extra Growth Fund moneys in 2013 to allow the second storage basin to be built, EA together with Axis and Jacobs, have been developing proposals for the storage basin on the land north of the University of Salford Student Village. The 33ha site, historically used as the Manchester Racecourse, is currently used to the south as playing fields and to the north for informal recreation.
Axis colleagues worked on the original NRA flood defence scheme for Salford in the early 1990s with a storage basin at Littleton Road (now Salford Sports Village) and channel raising between Lower Kersal and Manchester City Centre. The original scheme included a second flood storage basin at Castle Irwell but this was not built due to funding restrictions prevailing at the time.
The flood storage basin will be constructed by reducing the level of ground internally and using this material to form a new flood embankment. At times of high river flow, water will spill into the basin over a new weir, filling the basin for up to 36 hours before releasing the water back into the river. A new knoll will be constructed from surplus material excavated.
Axis has managed a team of environmental specialists to carry out detailed surveys of ecology, archaeology, landscape, transportation, ground contamination, trees, invasive weeds and report on the impacts on these through the ES. Mitigation measures include the provision of alternative pitches during the construction period, permanent high quality replacement pitches on the basin floor and a new 6ha sustainable habitat area (which it is hoped will be managed by the local community). Measures also include the retention of the Irwell Way, retention of trees around the site periphery as well as significant areas of new tree planting.
Subject to receiving planning consent, tree removal and construction works will commence in early 2015 and be completed during 2015 with pitches available for play in late 2016/early 2017.
