Start soon on £750,000 bridge scheme to tackle flood menace

Already an ambitious £14m flood alleviation scheme has been undertaken in the town, which has included creating a new wetland nature reserve at Templeborough to which where any excess floodwater can transfer.

Centenary Riverside, off Riverside Way, has wildflower meadows, ponds and woodlands and has already attracted wildlife and birds.

Flood alleviation works in the town centre also involved knocking down the Old River Don Bridge in September 2009, which aimed to reduce high river water levels in the town centre by between 670mm and 450mm.

Now, work is set to begin on the £750,000 Chantry Bridge flood alleviation scheme, which will involve closing Corporation Street car park, next to the Chantry Bridge over the River Don, for 20 weeks.

The project, which is being carried out by Rotherham Council and the Environment Agency, will involve installing a pumping station and constructing a new wall along the riverside walk.

The pumping station, to be sited underneath the Corporation Street car park, will pump surface water into the adjacent river during a flood, reducing the risk to central Rotherham.

During the floods of 2007, considerable damage was caused to properties in Corporation Street, Bridgegate and Frederick Street.

Floodwater rose up to 50cm above road levels, causing major damage and disruption and putting Rotherham’s transport interchange out of action.

Coun Gerald Smith, Rotherham Council’s cabinet member for town centres and economic growrth, said said the works were “vital for both the protection of a large commercial area of the town and the ongoing regeneration of the town centre”.

He added: “Local businesses and companies will tell you how bad the flooding was and these works will prevent that happening again.

“The flooding in 2007 was disastrous for these businesses, being caused by flooding from both the river and the sewers as well as surface water.

“This scheme will prevent the river flooding over into this area, protecting both businesses and local jobs as well as making it a more inviting area for future investment.

“Obviously, the 20 places in the car park will be unavailable while the work is ongoing, but the car park will be reinstated prior to Christmas and I hope motorists will understand the need for the disruption.”

The Chantry Bridge flood alleviation scheme will see the existing decorative railings on the right bank being taken down and replaced with a concrete wall

A further stretch of wall will be built from Chantry Bridge northwards along the river edge, adjacent to the bus station.

This wall will incorporate flood gates to allow access to the river adjacent to the Chantry Bridge.

In addition, the pumping station will be installed to operate in “extreme flood situations.”

Additionally the two public sewer outfalls that flow into the River Don adjacent to the bus station will receive “heavy duty flap valves”, which will prevent water backing up the pipework during a flood.

A Rotherham Council spokesman said: “Negotiations are currently ongoing with the Environment Agency and other partner organisations regarding phase two of the scheme.

“This will involve the design and installation of a new highway sewer system around Corporation Street, Bridgegate and Frederick Street.

“The system will be designed to relieve pressure on the existing public sewer network and discharge surface water directly into the new pumping station on Corporation Street.”