Residents and politicians have called for new flood defences to be implemented as quickly as possible in the towns of Greater Manchester, which were hit by severe flooding on New Year’s Day. Floods minister Emma Hardy visited affected areas on Monday and met with the Environment Agency, which estimated that nearly 100 homes in Wigan were flooded. Hardy said that talks had been held about the possibility of introducing new flood schemes in the region, with £2.4bn earmarked for new defences across the UK by the government.
MP Josh Simons, who represents Makerfield, has called for swift action to protect hundreds of properties along Borsdane Brook, Hey Brook and the River Douglas, stating that a major project is required. Simons wants to see “diggers in the ground by 2028” in Platt Bridge to prepare the area for potential future floods.
Temporary accommodation is already providing housing for some of the area’s residents. 69-year-old Mia Davy, who moved to her rented home on Walthew Lane in Platt Bridge from Islington in order to care for her mother, lost everything in the flood. She is now waiting to join a council property list along with many residents of Wigan who were left homeless by the deluge.
Business owners have also been heavily affected. Barry Beazant and Maxine Heyes, owners of Right Choice Bathrooms, said that their business had sustained thousands of pounds in damage. Pooles Domestics co-owner Mike Horton said that they would not reopen in their current location, citing issues with flooding insurance and the damage caused to his stock. A new showroom will open on Makerfield Way instead
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