New homes in Leigh, near the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, built on a floodplain, will not qualify for flood compensation.
The planning committee already approved the project. Taylor Wimpey proposed some plan changes, mainly involving bedroom numbers. A council member worried about flooding risks, noting that parts are in high and medium flood risk zones.
He questioned if they considered flood prevention. Turns out, they weren’t reconsidering the building decision.
Officers said they planned for drainage and consulted with several important groups, including the Environment Agency and United Utilities. Nobody objected to the plans.
Neighbors aren’t happy; 68 objections came from 23 addresses. They said the area has enough houses. Some feared canal bank collapse and flooding.
The land has coal mining waste, and someone even brought up the Aberfan disaster. A councillor asked a key question about flooding: Could residents claim compensation if their homes flood? The planning officer gave a simple answer: No, they cannot.