A Living Flood Recovery and Resilience Plan

The Plan, initially published in October 2016, is a dynamic ‘living document’ that has undergone multiple updates to incorporate completed, revised, and new actions. It is continuously monitored and updated by the Calderdale Flood Recovery and Resilience Programme Board to ensure it remains effective and relevant.

View the refreshed Flood Action Plan

A residential rain garden designed for bioretention and infiltration. The planting area is positioned at a low point to collect and filter surface water runoff. A timber boardwalk provides pedestrian access over the SuDS feature without compacting the soil, preserving its permeability.

Key Areas Covered in the Plan

The Plan outlines a comprehensive programme of work designed to help our area recover from past floods, improve resilience, and reduce the risk of future flooding. It focuses on four key areas:

Strengthening Defences: Implementing projects and schemes to reduce flooding from rivers and surface water.
Resilient Infrastructure: Reinforcing our infrastructure, such as sewer systems, electricity substations, and transport routes.
Natural Flood Management: Managing the landscape to slow down the flow of water.
Community Resilience: Collaborating with the community to help them prepare for and recover from flooding.

Each area is overseen by a dedicated operational group.

Key achievements 2025/2026

Over the past decade, the Calderdale Flood Action Plan (FAP) has guided how local council teams, government agencies, emergency services, and community groups work together to protect our valley.

Download the Flood Action Plan infographic

It is by no means exhaustive, but highlights some of our key areas of progress.

Illustration of a digger and machinary in a green space

Strengthening Defences

Phase 1 of the flood scheme at Copley is now complete, helping to better protect 229 properties from flooding.
Cottonstones Mill Pond infrastructure is complete and will protect local homes from severe run-off.
50+ homes protected via Erringden Hillside Property Flood Resilience Scheme (PFR).
Wellholme Park reopened following major flood defence upgrades. The works protect 400+ properties, restored 0.54km of river, and improved 52 hectares of habitat.

Resilient Infrastructure

Repaired key culverts to boost drainage performance and infrastructure resilience.
Completed embankment reinforcement at Oak Hill Clough, Todmorden to improve slope stability and prevent erosion.
Maintained NFM features to ensure long-term flood protection.
Upgraded drainage and gullies across key hillside roads on Erringden hillside.

Natural Flood Management (NFM)

Landscapes for Water project planted 55,000+ trees and installed 1,800+ leaky dams and pools.
Three new NFM postgraduate opportunities launched in partnership with the University of Leeds.
29 new Natural Flood Management projects funded via the NFM grant scheme.
149ha of fields aerated by Calder Rivers Trust to boost water infiltration.

Illustration of the flood pod demonstrating flood property resilliance products.

Community Resilience

Eye on Calderdale reached 44,000 users this year.
Seven flood groups, helping communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from flooding.
New GOV.UK flood warning system launched.
School outreach promoting flood safety & action plans.
Two FloodPod events delivered on risk and preparedness.

Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme leaflet.

How was the Plan Developed?

The Flood Action Plan was put together after consultation with the community and partners. As well as including private businesses and many community and voluntary organisations.

Most of the original actions were gathered through workshops, drop-in sessions and meetings. These actions have continued to develop as the work has progressed.

Ongoing Community Input

As we deliver and complete more of the actions in the Flood Action Plan, we also want to ensure that any new proposals are considered.

Our four operations groups meet on a regular basis to discuss any new actions/ ideas brought to the table. If you would like to make a suggestion or have an idea that would support flood resilience in Calderdale, please drop us an email: [email protected].