Mersey scheme

We are building flood defences in Warrington to reduce the risk of flooding to around 2,000 homes and businesses.

What is the flood risk in Warrington?

Warrington is at risk from tidal and river flooding and has records of flooding dating back to 1767. The most significant recent flood events were in February 1990 and October/November 2000. In February 1990, the River Mersey overtopped its banks flooding Knutsford Road and properties in Westy, Latchford, Howley, Arpley Bridge and Lower Walton.

Knutsford Road flood in 1990 Victoria Park flooding in 1990

What is the Environment Agency doing to alleviate flood risk from the River Mersey in Warrington?

In partnership with Warrington Borough Council, we are building a £23million flood alleviation scheme that will involve the construction of a series of walls and embankments along the River Mersey and its tributaries that will reduce the risk of flooding to over 2,000 homes and businesses.

We have divided the project into three phases.

Phase one will see the construction of concrete flood walls and earth embankments in the Knutsford Rd area of Latchford, from Bridgefoot through to Victoria Park, which will reduce the risk of flooding to around 1,500 homes and businesses. This phase of the scheme will also create a new and improved entrance to Victoria Park. Preliminary works began in August and we expect to finish constructing the flood defences in this area in May 2013.

Phases two and three of the scheme are in the process of being designed and will reduce the risk of flooding to a further 500 properties north of the River Mersey from Riverside Retail Park to Kingsway Bridge, in Kingsway South, Latchford East, Padgate, Woolston and Cinnamon Brow.

What is happening now

Artist impression of Victoria Park entrance

We are currently building flood defences along the banks of the River Mersey at Knutsford Road and Victoria Park in Latchford. We've already completed some preliminary works, which started in August, including highway alterations along Knutsford Road and tree felling through Victoria Park and along the river bank.

Plan showing the flood defences which we are building in Latchford (PDF, 315KB)

Phase one of the scheme, consists of concrete faced flood walls and earth embankments along the edge of Knutsford Road from Bridgefoot roundabout to just beyond Black Bear footpath. It also includes the construction of a new and improved entrance to Victoria Park.

Tree replanting

Image of typical tree for the arboretum The loss of trees in Victoria Park and along Knutsford Road was unfortunate but essential to enable the construction of the new flood defences. To help mitigate the impact this will have on the environment, we will undertake extensive tree planting in the area and create an arboretum (a collection of fine specimen trees of unusual varieties) once we have finished building the flood defences. In the interim, we have installed a number of bat boxes and created habitat piles to provide homes for local wildlife.

Image of typical tree for the arboretum

Traffic management and footpath closures

A number of traffic restrictions have been put in place along Knutsford Road to provide space to build the new flood defences and create safer pedestrian zones and a safe working area for our contractors. Unfortunately, these restrict traffic coming out of town to a single lane and mean that the pedestrian crossing and bus stops between Bridgefoot and Black Bear Bridge have been closed.

After listening to feedback from the community, we have worked with Warrington Borough Council to ensure a temporary pedestrian crossing remains in place for the duration of the works, which will be situated in the vicinity of the junction with Weir Lane.

The underpass at Black Bear Bridge will remain open for most of the construction phase (apart from a short stretch when we build defences at that point), which also provides a safe place to cross Knutsford Road, and we will maintain a single pedestrian access point into the park from Knutsford Road at all times, which will vary depending on where work is taking place.

What Next?

Christmas 2012 - submit phase two details to Warrington Borough Council
May 2013 – construction of flood defences completed in Latchford (Knutsford Rd and Victoria Park area)
Summer 2013 - submit planning application for flood defences in Latchford East
October 2013 to October 2014 – construction of flood defences in Howley
October 2014 to October 2015 – construction of flood defences in Cinnamon Brow, Padgate, Latchford East and Woolston