Paul Waugh MP Welcomes Major Flood Prevention Funding for Rochdale

Thursday, 10 April 2025 15:45

By David Murphy

Paul Waugh, MP for Rochdale, has welcomed a major government investment in flood prevention measures for the area, securing funding for both local and strategic schemes following his recent lobbying of ministers for urgent action.

As part of the national Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) programme, Rochdale Borough Council has been awarded £615,000 in Government Grant-in-Aid to support vital works at Turf Hill in 2025/26. This investment will help deliver flood protection to homes, with the total project expenditure for the year totalling £1.1 million.

In a direct response to Mr Waugh’s letter of 6th March to the Minister for Flooding, Emma Hardy MP, the Government also confirmed £12.5 million in funding for the wider River Roch, Rochdale & Littleborough Flood Risk Management Scheme.

Minister Emma Hardy wrote:

“This funding is a very positive step forward for those in your constituency that have been negatively impacted by flooding in the past and shows our commitment to ensure that communities are supported to reduce their flood risk in the future.””

The Turf Hill funding ensures important momentum is maintained on local resilience, as longer-term schemes like Phase 2 of the River Roch programme continue to progress through design and funding stages.

Paul Waugh MP said:

“I’m delighted that the Government has listened and delivered this much-needed investment to help protect Rochdale from future flood risk. The Turf Hill scheme is a key part of keeping homes safe, and I’ll continue pushing for long-term commitments like Phase 2 of the River Roch programme.

“Flooding devastates lives, and we must stay focused on protecting vulnerable communities, unlocking investment, and securing better infrastructure.”

Rochdale Council’s Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Environment, Councillor Tricia Ayrton said:

“This is wonderful news for the people of the Turf Hill area whose homes have been at serious risk from surface water flooding during storms and heavy rain for so long. This funding is truly welcomed - it will make a big difference to homes and lives.”

The funding is part of a wider Government commitment to invest £2.65 billion nationally over 2024/25 and 2025/26, with a goal of better protecting 52,000 properties by March 2026. The Environment Agency praised the "excellent partnership working" of local authorities and MPs in delivering flood schemes across the North West.

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