£6m scheme to prevent flooding in Catcliffe approved
The project centres on replacing a bridge at Treeton Lane, which engineers say is a key bottleneck on the River Rother
A £6m scheme to alleviate flooding in Catcliffe has been approved by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s Cabinet.
The project centres on replacing a bridge at Treeton Lane, which engineers say is a key bottleneck on the River Rother and contributes to flooding in Treeton and Catcliffe following Storm Babet two years ago.
Both villages saw catastrophic scenes in October 2023, when the river burst its banks and submerged streets overnight. More than 140 homes in Catcliffe and several in Treeton were flooded, forcing emergency evacuations. The villages have endured major floods three times since 2000.
During yesterday’s (Nov 17) cabinet meeting, Cocuncillor Lynda Marshall, cabinet member for street scene and green spaces described the scheme as a ‘critical inititative,’ that ‘demonstrated Rotherham Borough Council’s committment to protecting our communities and investing in resilliant infrastructure’.
A formal investigation concluded that altering the Treeton Lane bridge offered the best prospect of reducing the risk of future flooding. Hydraulic modelling shows that rebuilding the bridge with a thinner, modern deck would allow water to pass more freely underneath, lowering upstream flood levels. The council has committed £6m to the scheme as part of its capital programme.
Under the proposal, the existing bridge will be demolished and replaced with a new structure built off-site, then lifted into position. Early modelling indicates that reducing the bridge deck height by 900mm would prevent property flooding in a one-in-200-year event – the level of protection considered necessary for long-term resilience.
Although the work is complex and subject to environmental approvals from the Environment Agency, the scheme has widespread community support. Public meetings chaired drew large crowds, and residents have backed the bridge replacement as the most credible solution after decades of repeated flooding.
The council is now preparing to appoint a design-and-build contractor, arguing that early engagement is essential due to the specialist skills required and the limited number of firms capable of delivering large civil-engineering projects in river channels.
Construction is expected to begin after detailed design work and regulatory permissions are secured. While the council hopes the scheme could be completed within three years, experience from similar projects suggests it may take up to five.
During construction, Treeton Lane will be closed to vehicles, though the council says it will work to maintain pedestrian access where possible.
Officials say the investment will significantly strengthen flood protection for the two communities, modernise ageing infrastructure and improve resilience as extreme weather events become more frequent.