Environment Agency to take 'second look' at barrier plan (From Gazette & Herald)

Environment Agency to take 'second look' at barrier plan

ENVIRONMENT Agency chiefs have agreed to take a second look at a revolutionary storage dam scheme that could end flooding fears for residents of a Ryedale market town.

Previously, Peter Holmes, Dales area flood defence manager, had rejected a flood alleviation scheme for Pickering by Instant Barrage Services that used a series of embankment dams built with bags of crumbled tyres.

But, following the interest of Ryedale MP John Greenway, Mr Holmes met Jonathan Palmer, the director of the Knaresborough-based company, and has requested an independent engineer's report be made to comment on a number of technical and practical issues.

"As we stated at the meeting, we are interested in reducing flood risk to the residents of Pickering and our primary concern when considering the use of flood storage reservoirs in a scheme is the safety regime for both the reservoir and its dam," said Mr Holmes in a letter to Mr Palmer.

"Our understanding of your dam proposal is that it primarily utilises crumbed rubber encased in geotextile filter bags as the bulk fill in the embankment. This concept is different to anything we have seen before or are aware of... this raises a number of technical issues surrounding the dam that we feel you need to address before the agency can commit to working further with you on the development of the scheme."

Mr Greenway said the scheme could be a viable solution to Pickering's flooding problems, after he met Mr Palmer and took a trip on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to see the sites for his proposed four dams on Pickering Beck, above Pickering.

Mr Palmer is confident his revolutionary system of flood defences could be installed to protect Pickering for about £500,000, which is a fraction of the cost of the Environment Agency's shelved proposals.

"The object of this exercise is to save Pickering from flooding and it has now reached a stage where I think that can be done," said Mr Palmer.

"I'm glad that the Environment Agency has agreed to take a second look at the scheme, thanks to the support of John Greenway."

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "When such a report has been completed, the agency will be willing to meet Mr Palmer again to discuss its conclusions."

Updated: 11:51 Wednesday, May 26, 2004