Work under way on projects to boost Doncaster's flood defences

In an update on schemes taking place across the borough, Coun Mark Houlbrook, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Waste, City of Doncaster Council said: “Despite the weather feeling calmer, our work to protect communities from flooding never stops and we have many projects underway which will play a major role in protecting communities whenever the bad weather comes - whether it be this year, next, or the year after.”

Among the schemes under way are:

The City Wide Road Closure Scheme

The scheme addresses the safety of road users during a flood event. This new development will allow the council to install gates and bollards on roads that have suffered repeatedly bad flooding, and use them to close roads more clearly during times of emergency.

During previous flood events in 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2019, the City of Doncaster Council (CDC) repeatedly closed five flooded highways to prevent motorists from driving into flood water at the following locations:

Thorpe Bank, Thorpe in Balne

Denaby Lane, Old Denaby

Pastures Road, Pastures Lane and Melton Lane, Denaby

Fishlake Nab, Fishlake

Doncaster Road to Greys Bridge, Denaby

These roads will see gates and bollards installed from March 2025, with the first being put in place on Denaby Lane, Pastures Road and Pastures Lane.

With the rising frequency and intensity of flooding events, it is crucial that these measures be implemented to reduce risk of vehicles being washed away, becoming trapped, and causing accidents due to poor visibility and hydroplaning.

In recent years, there has also been a rise in anti-social behaviour, with cones and barricades removed, causing further danger to motorists.

This scheme will allow road closures to be implemented quickly and safely in times of emergency, and help reduce overall cost.

Due to flooding, the City of Doncaster Council have closed the above roads for a total of 147 days between 2019 and 2024, costing the council a resulting £173,000.

What will the changes look like?

The gates will be positioned at strategic locations to prevent motorists from accessing the flooded highways.

DIG Innovation Project

A partnership between Northeast Lincolnshire Council, City of Doncaster Council, Anglian Water, and Yorkshire Water has been established to tackle surface water flooding in urban areas, where large-scale flood storage options are limited.

The project will trial a range of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) retrofitted within highways and around public schools to mitigate flooding, improve flood resilience, and enhance the local environment.

The £2m scheme will be implemented across two areas of Doncaster – Clay Lane and Scawthorpe.

As part of the scheme, the council have installed a number of sensors and sewers to test, monitor, report effectiveness and value of the SuDS techniques to help build shared knowledge and understanding.

Education opportunities are also being provided for local schools which will include curriculum approved lessons and field trips, as well as a brilliant opportunity for academic research using data obtained from pre and post construction flow surveys.

What are the benefits of the scheme?

Environmental Benefits: Retrofitted SuDS can significantly improve water quality by reducing the volume of pollutants entering sewers/watercourses.

Flood Risk Mitigation: By reducing surface water runoff, retrofitted SuDS mitigate the risk of surface water flooding, particularly in areas prone to high rainfall and urbanisation.

Social and Aesthetic Value: Retrofitted SuDS can enhance the visual appeal of urban spaces, offering green infrastructure that improves the quality of life for communities.

Clay Lane

As part of the Clay Lane improvement scheme, the council are introducing a range of sustainable drainage features which will enhance flood resilience.

These measures include the installation of rain gardens and permeable paving along the streets, which will help to naturally slow the flow of surface water into the sewer network, reducing pressure on drainage systems during periods of heavy rainfall.

Additionally, a large detention basin will be constructed to the rear of Wilberforce Road, designed to temporarily store significant volumes of water during storm events, mitigating the risk of flooding to the carriageway.

These features will be implemented across various streets within the Clay Lane area, including Wilberforce Road, Jefferson Avenue, and Moffat Gardens, with all works being delivered by Internal Highway Operations teams.

Scawthorpe

As part of works in the Scawthorpe area, the council are introducing a range of sustainable drainage features to enhance flood resilience.

These measures also include the installation of rain gardens and permeable paving along the streets.

Additionally, a large detention basin and swale are to be constructed within the grounds of Castle Hills School, designed to temporarily store significant volumes of water during storm events, mitigating the risk of flooding to the carriageway.

The rain gardens will also be filled with different types of flora - and thanks go to all the local residents who chose the type of flora in a local consultation.

When will the work start?

The project at Clay Lane is under way, while the works in Scawthorpe will follow on from the completion of works within Clay Lane.