MORE than £400,000 is set to be invested to tackle potential flooding problems at key locations across Lancashire.

Sixteen of 17 projects proposed by county environment officials can be dealt with under a government coastal-erosion grant, with the remaining one supported by the authority’s own captial programme.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Three flooding schemes are planned for the Rossendale valley, including improvements to a culvert on Bacup Old Brook, costing £14,000, and a trash screen for a site in Burnley Road East, which presents a flood risk to 20 homes.

And there are plans for Cribden Clough. These involve installing automatic monitoring equipment at another culvert where is a high risk of debris accumulating. Separate watercourse studies are proposed for Burnley, Chorley and Ribble Way, to asses the flood risk presented by rivers and brooks.

Particular attention will be paid to Landgate, at Shawforth, which is said to be especially susceptible to flash flooding after heavy and prolonged rain, along with the impact of further developments upstream.

Steve Browne, the county council’s interim environment director, said in a report: “Some projects relate to a risk from surface-water run-off and others from ordinary watercourses.

“It is proposed that an arrangement with the relevant district council will be in place to enable works relating to ordinary watercourses to be carried out by the county council.”

Mr Browne said that the design work for the Bacup Old Brook and Burnley Road East schemes would be undertaken by the council’s design team and carried out by the highways service.

Cllr Thomas Aldred, who represents Facit & Shawforth on Rossendale Council, said that previous flooding at Landgate led to residents of flats in Edgmoor Close being evacuated.

He said: “This will be very welcome — the residents had to be moved out for a considerable period when the last flooding hit.

“The water runs off the higher ground and collects just before Landgate and there are problems when the drainage ditches cannot cope.”

Cllr Janice Hanson, Lancashire cabinet member for public protection, has approved the directorate’s recommended course of action.