Doncaster Council to carry out study into ‘natural flood management’ defences for Conisbrough and Tickhill

DMBC officers confirmed they have secured £40,000 in project funding from the Environment Agency to deliver a natural flood management (NFM) scheme in the two areas.

The project aims to deliver a NFM scheme along Kearsley Brook at Conisbrough and Paper Mill Dike at Tickhill, which includes the implementation of water storage areas, leaky dams to slow the flow of water and re-naturalisation of watercourses.

This is said to be a ‘novel approach’ to flood risk management by embracing the ‘nature based approach’ instead of the conventional hard engineered solutions.

A report which followed the November 2019 floods for which in excess of 50 residential properties were flooded internally.

The planned study will test a range of flood mitigation options to identify a preferred option to better protect the properties, which were flooded in 2019.

Two major flood sources are said to affect Conisbrough. The River Don that marks the north extent of the settlement and Kearsley Brook that flows through the centre.

Kearsley Brook rises in the hills three km south of Conisbrough near Micklebring and Clifton.

The brook meanders through agricultural land of Conisbrough parks before reaching the small industrial estate at Sheffield Road.

The brook then passes through several culvert and bridge structures before it discharges into the Don.

Paper Mill Dyke is the main flood source for Tickhill and enters the village along with the rear garden of West Gate and Lindrick feeding the millpond of Tickhill Mill.

The main discharge from the mill was south into agricultural fields with a split outflow west along Lindrick.

Richard Campbell, a flood officer within DMBC, said: “NFM practices may attenuate water upstream and slow the flow of water, which will ultimately reduce flooding frequency and duration within Conisbrough and Tickhill.

“NFM is environmentally friendly and delivers increased flood protection to the community.

“Following the development of the feasibility study, the preferred solution will then be taken forward for further consideration to secure the external capital grant to deliver the project.

“In order to produce the feasibility report, we are requesting authority to procure the services and incur the necessary expenditure”