The Priority Actions Grant Scheme

Focus on Natural Flood Management

The scheme, funded by the Environment Agency and managed by Calderdale Council, is dedicated to supporting projects that advance actions from the Calderdale Flood Action Plan (CFAP) for Natural Flood Management (NFM).

The NFM section of the CFAP focuses on managing the landscape to slow water flow through strategies such as temporarily storing water, planting trees, and modifying the management of farmland and moorland. Since 2016, more than 120 sites in the borough have been used for NFM, involving over ten delivery partners, hundreds of volunteers, and multiple funding streams.

Note: The Priority Actions Grant Scheme is different to the Calderdale NFM Grant Scheme, which provides funding to farmers and landowners to install NFM measures on their land.

Norland Moor on a cloudy day. The sun is breaking through the clouds and the heather is a bright pink colour.

Calderdale Flood Action Plan (CFAP)

The Calderdale Flood Action Plan outlines our strategy to recover from past floods, reduce the impact of flooding, and enhance resilience for future events. It focuses on four critical areas:

Strengthening Defences:
- This involves projects and schemes aimed at reducing flooding from rivers and surface water.
Natural Flood Management (NFM):
- NFM focuses on managing the landscape to slow down water flow, mitigating flood risks.
Resilient Infrastructure:
- This involves strengthening critical infrastructure, including sewer systems, electricity substations, and transport routes.
Community Resilience:
- Collaborating with the community to prepare for and recover from flooding incidents.

Each area is overseen by an operational group.

Key Actions Funded by the Scheme

The Priority Actions Grant Scheme funds projects that advance eight specific actions from the critical area 2 of the CFAP, selected by the Operational Group:

Action Number NFM 35: Urban NFM Planning
- Focus: Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDs), surface water removal from sewers, and development of blue and green infrastructure.
Action Numbers NFM 3 and NFM 4: Delivering NFM Measures
- Implementation of NFM strategies to manage flood risks effectively.
Action Number NFM 10: Enhancing Moorland Habitats
- Goal: Boost resilience in upper catchment areas against climate change and wildfire risks.
Action Numbers NFM 7 & NFM 8: Landowner Engagement
- Engaging landowners to participate in flood management efforts.
Action Numbers NFM 13 & NFM 16: Monitoring Impact
- Monitoring the effectiveness of NFM actions.

Previous Priority Actions Grant Scheme support

To date, twenty-four projects have been funded through this grant, including organisations such as Slow the Flow, Forus Tree, and The National Trust. Recent projects include:

• Bridestones CIC, which will implement Natural Flood Management (NFM) measures on Bridestones Moor, was recently purchased through a community buyout. Volunteers will collaborate with professional contractors to carry out a range of NFM activities, while conducting before-and-after monitoring to assess the effectiveness of these measures.
• The Calder and Colne’s 'Pasture' Project, focuses on soil health and the role of sustainable land management in flood alleviation. The Rivers Trust will partner with landowners to offer free educational workshops and soil health surveys, followed by 100 hectares of aeration. This process improves water penetration into the soil, promotes vegetation growth, and helps reduce runoff to towns and villages.

Focus on Natural Flood Management

Calderdale Flood Action Plan (CFAP)

Key Actions Funded by the Scheme

Previous Priority Actions Grant Scheme support

Application guidance