Concerns over Horwich town centre flood defence scheme

Work has started on a £1.8m project to create a flood basin in a public park and protect 200 homes in Horwich town centre.

The work, in Old Station Park and funded by the Environment Agency is expected to be completed by December.

The project is designed to tackle a long history of flooding to properties in the town centre from Pearl Brook. 

There have been six reported flooding incidents in the area in the last 20 years and the problem is expected to get worse due to climate change.

Up to 200 properties could be at risk of flooding during exceptional rainfall events.

The project aims to use part of Old Station Park to temporarily store flood water during large storms by using the existing embankments to form a  storage basin.

Some new sections of embankment will be constructed to complete the basin in the area between Pearl Brook and St John Street.

Old Station Park

The scheme has a lifespan of 100 years and to ensure the basin remains waterproof.

The work includes removing several trees in order to form the embankment leading to the flood basin and therefore cannot be retained.

But many people commented that they were not happy with the trees chopped down and the play area being closed to make way for a new one by next summer.

John McKnight said: “Bolton Council have made a complete mess of Bolton and are now moving onto Horwich.

“As I have said before they are destroying a natural defence against flooding in trees and land, and destroying the only park left for the residents of Horwich to enjoy.”

While Charlotte Page said: “That’s a long time to be without the playground when you’ve got little ones. Could they not have built the new one first?”

Others branded it ‘poor timing.’

But Cllr David Grant came out to defend the work, reminding people that cobbles and trees are being replaced.

He said: “The Flood Alleviation Scheme has been in the process since 2021 after the last bout of major flooding so this was a required scheme being and has been funded with £1.8m from the Environment Agency.

“It does mean some trees will be removed but they will be replanted.

“The closing of the children’s play area is unfortunate, they could have allowed children to have the summer but the council is not in control of this.

“Once the Environment Agency get permission to go ahead with it, it’s down to them to start.”

Cllr Sue Baines added that five new trees have also been planted near to the Leisure Centre on Church Street.

She said: “Let us hope the cobbled pathway near Sam’s bar is returned to it being cobbles after this too.”

The storage basin would be formed by extending existing embankments around the perimeter of the park on the western side of Pearl Brook.

Horwich town centre has a ‘long and repeated history of flooding’ from Pearl Brook, occurring in 1946, 1951, 1964, 1992, 2002, 2004 (three times) 2012, and 2021.

Flood water usually spills from Pearl Brook into the centre of Horwich via Back Emmett Street.

 the basin remains waterproof, some trees will be removed. Bolton Council said it is looking into opportunities for a new planting scheme in other areas of the park.