AMBITIOUS plans to help prevent flooding in Tadcaster are about to be submitted to North Yorkshire Council.

The Environment Agency has confirmed the multi-million pound move in a newsletter it has circulated in the flood-hit town.

The news has been welcomed by businesses, residents, community leaders and others who form the Tadcaster Flood Defence Alliance (TFDA).

It follows recent consultation involving a £16million scheme, which features bunds along both sides of the River Wharfe.

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Alliance chairman David Gluck said: “The town has waited for too long for this moment and we will support the Environment Agency in seeing the project through to fruition, as well as continuing to voice the concerns of our citizens and business community to all agencies who have a responsibility for protecting our town centre from the devastating effects of floodwater.”

The scheme has been designed to protect Tadcaster from being flooded from the River Wharfe whenever it reaches the levels seen in 2015 when the bridge collapsed and in 2022 when the river overtopped the current defences and flooded the centre of Tadcaster.

Such flooding events have seen the main road through Tadcaster closed, cutting the town in half.

Homes and businesses in the town centre have also been flooded, including the  Tadcaster Albion football ground and clubhouse flooded and Tadcaster Medical Centre.

The collapsed bridge in 2015The collapsed bridge in 2015 (Image: NQ)

Flooding happens so often in Tadcaster, the alliance says this creates no incentive for businesses to invest, a major factor in making the town centre look run down.

Therefore, the flood alleviation scheme would provide the confidence needed to invest in the town and drive economic growth.

Tadcaster town and North Yorkshire councillor Kirsty Poskitt said: “The submission of the planning application is a big step forward and a clear demonstration of the commitment by the Environment Agency to design and deliver a Flood Alleviation Scheme for Tadcaster.

“An early stage in the planning process will be a public consultation and I hope that the town will support the proposals and help drive the project forward.”

Tadcaster’s MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP said: “The proposed scheme will be a big step forward because of the confidence it will give to businesses in the town and thus support new investment.

"The FAS will protect the whole of the centre of the town along both river banks, protecting homes, businesses and facilities like the Medical Centre, a Dental Practice and Tadcaster Albion AFC.”

Nicola Eades, practice manager of Bridge Street Dental Surgery, said: “As a business owner who has, all too often, been seriously affected by flooding I will be giving the scheme my full support.

“Tadcaster needs better protection against flooding and this will  boost confidence and encourage investment in the centre of the town. We all want to make Tadcaster into a more attractive place to live, a good place to work and a town where we can invest in our businesses.”