Trees cut down as defence barrier work begins at Lancaster flooding hotspot

Contractors working on behalf of the Environment Agency have started preparation work in Lentworth Drive on Hala.

The construction of a permanent flood defence bund will take place on open grassland area between Lentworth Drive and Burrow Beck, and part of Barton Road playing fields.

The barrier, which will replace the existing temporary sandbag bund, will be around 300m in length, 9.5m in width, and with a height of 1.6m.

It will be made up of an earth embankment, capped with topsoil and grass seeded.

The work, which is on partly council-owned land in Hala, was given planning permission by the city council in May and follows severe flooding in the area in August and November 2020.

The Environment Agency tweeted that residents would see work starting this week - including grass cutting and tree removal along Burrow Beck.

"Ahead of works to improve a flood defence embankment along Lentworth Drive in south Lancaster, our contractors will be out this week carrying out enabling work, such as grass cutting and tree removal, and may be spotted along Burrow Beck," they said.

However, some residents have raised concerns about mature trees being cut down as part of the work.

In April it was announced that Burrow Beck was among the first areas in England to receive better flood protection as part of the government’s £100m Frequently Flooded Allowance, aimed at protecting areas which have been affected by repeated flooding.