Burscough Flood Records Report for Burscough Parish Council · Executive Summary On the 8th June 2016 Burscough Parish Council agreed that a residents’ group should be set up to

Burscough Flood Records Report

for Burscough Parish Council

Collected and Compiled 2016/17

Created by Burscough Flooding Group

Stephen McCloskey (Chair)

Gavin Rattray (Secretary)

Gordon Anderson (Treasurer)

Bernard Webster (Retired Member)

Anonymous (Technical Guidance)

Burscough Flood Records Collected and Compiled 2016/17

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Executive Summary

On the 8th June 2016 Burscough Parish Council agreed that a residents’ group should be set up to collect

flooding evidence and produce a report for a future Parish Council meeting.

In response Burscough Flooding Group formed on the 12th July 2016 and subsequently collected

evidence from witnesses and victims, contacted through leafleting, advertising and by knocking on doors.

It has met with, and made freedom of information legislation requests from, Lancashire County Council,

West Lancashire Borough Council, the Environment Agency and United Utilities.

Evidence collected has revealed that large amounts of flooding occurred in 2012, 2015 and 2016 with a

peak of 73 internal and over 100 external floods occurring in Burscough in 2015. Information provided

by residents about the long term history of flooding showed that a significant number of areas were

suffering long term repeat flooding.

The Group has found that the causes of flooding were predominantly water discharging from United

Utilities surface water and foul sewers in the urban areas; and inadequate capacity of ordinary

watercourses, fed with urban surface water run-off, in the downstream rural areas. In the course of the

investigations the Group found that United Utilities surface water sewer network drains the un-attenuated

surface water flows from several large housing estates into watercourses and believe that this is the

primary cause of flooding in Higgins Lane, Crabtree Lane, Orrell Lane and the Truscott Estate.

In addition, the Group has found that groundwater flooding occurs around Martin Mere and Yew Tree

Farm and that the infiltration of groundwater into watercourses and sewers is highly likely to have been a

negative factor in the severity of flooding when it occurs.

Maps and photographic evidence of the nature and extent of the flooding in Burscough follow with the

flood records at the back of the document containing a comprehensive recent record of the locations,

frequency and causes of flooding in Burscough.


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Table of Contents

Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................1

Table of Contents ..........................................................................................................................................2

Flood Maps ...................................................................................................................................................5

Flood Photographs A to Z ...........................................................................................................................18

What is the Purpose of Flood Risk Management Authorities? ...................................................................41

Flood Records .............................................................................................................................................43

Contact Details ............................................................................................................................................44


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Table of Figures

All images have been submitted to Burscough Flooding Group by flooding witnesses or members of the

Group unless stated otherwise

Figure 1 A map of the watercourses flowing through Burscough .............................................................. 6

Figure 2 A hydrogeology map of Burscough ....................................................................................................... 7

Figure 3 A map of Burscough showing the geological indicators of flooding ........................................ 8

Figure 4 A geological indicator of flooding map with watercourses for Burscough........................... 9

Figure 5 A map of Burscough showing external flood events (2008-2017) ....................................... 10

Figure 6 A map of Burscough showing internal flood events (2008-2017) ........................................ 11

Figure 7 A map of the Burscough watercourses and external flood events (2008-2017) ............ 12

Figure 8 A map of Burscough watercourses and internal flood events (2008-2017) .................... 13

Figure 9 A map of external flood events and functional sites ................................................................... 14

Figure 10 A map of internal flood events and functional sites .................................................................... 15

Figure 11 A map of all flood events and functional sites ............................................................................... 16

Figure 12 A map of all flood events with a hydrogeological overlay ........................................................ 17

Figure 13 A59 Liverpool Road South (Water from Sewer Discharging in Mill Dam Lane) ............. 18

Figure 14 A59 Liverpool Road South ..................................................................................................................... 19

Figure 15 A59 Liverpool Road South ..................................................................................................................... 20

Figure 16 A59 Liverpool Road South (Garden Backing onto Yew Tree Farm) ..................................... 20

Figure 17 Abbey Lane ................................................................................................................................................... 21

Figure 18 Alexander Close .......................................................................................................................................... 21

Figure 19 Belmont Close ............................................................................................................................................. 22

Figure 20 Briars Lane ................................................................................................................................................... 22

Figure 21 Chapel Lane .................................................................................................................................................. 23

Figure 22 Crabtree Lane (Flooding from Orrell Lane Watercourse) ........................................................ 23

Figure 23 Crabtree Lane .............................................................................................................................................. 24

Figure 24 Crabtree Lane .............................................................................................................................................. 24

Figure 25 Choked Watercourse Located in United Utilities (UU) WWTW (©Google) ...................... 25

Figure 26 Choked Watercourse (Burscough’s Main Surface Water Drain) in UU WWTW .............. 25

Figure 27 Delph Drive .................................................................................................................................................. 26

Figure 28 Farmers Arms Pub .................................................................................................................................... 26

Figure 29 Furnival Drive (Surface Water from Higgins Lane)..................................................................... 27


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Figure 30 Gower Gardens ........................................................................................................................................... 27

Figure 31 Gower Gardens ........................................................................................................................................... 28

Figure 32 Higgins Lane ................................................................................................................................................ 29

Figure 33 Junction Lane ............................................................................................................................................... 29

Figure 34 Lordsgate Lane ........................................................................................................................................... 30



Figure 37 Mill Dam Road and Manor Avenue (Copyright Environment Agency) ............................... 31

Figure 38 Martin Mere ................................................................................................................................................. 32

Figure 39 Martin Mere ................................................................................................................................................. 32

Figure 40 Meadow Lane .............................................................................................................................................. 33

Figure 41 Mill Lane (Copyright Environment Agency)................................................................................... 33

Figure 42 Moss Lane ..................................................................................................................................................... 34

Figure 43 New Lane Rail Crossing ........................................................................................................................... 34

Figure 44 New Lane Village Centre ......................................................................................................................... 35

Figure 45 Orrell Lane .................................................................................................................................................... 35

Figure 46 Pippin Street ................................................................................................................................................ 35

Figure 47 Richmond Avenue ..................................................................................................................................... 36

Figure 48 Slipway Pub .................................................................................................................................................. 36

Figure 49 Slipway Car Park ........................................................................................................................................ 36

Figure 50 Square Lane ................................................................................................................................................. 37

Figure 51 Spill from United Utilities Sewage Pumping Station (New Lane WWTW) ........................ 37

Figure 52 Sutch and Carr Lanes (Lathom) ........................................................................................................... 38

Figure 53 Spill from United Utilities Sewage Pumping Station (New Lane WWTW) ........................ 38

Figure 54 School Lane .................................................................................................................................................. 39

Figure 55 Tollgate Road............................................................................................................................................... 39

Figure 56 Tollgate Road............................................................................................................................................... 39

Figure 57 Warpers Moss Lane .................................................................................................................................. 40


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Flood Maps

The following pages illustrate the nature and extent of the flooding in Burscough, showing maps of

known flooding events and environmental factors to investigate areas suffering from repeat internal and

external flooding (2008 – 2017).


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Figure 1 A map of the watercourses flowing through Burscough


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Figure 2 A hydrogeology map of Burscough


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Class 1 – Higher flood potential: the first areas to experience the effects of flooding. Class 2 – Lower flood potential: areas affected by secondary

flooding in extreme cases as a result of a prolonged flood event.

Coastal – Flooding from the sea. Fluvial – Flooding from rivers and water channels.

Figure 3 A map of Burscough showing the geological indicators of flooding


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Class 1 – Higher flood potential: the first areas to experience the effects of flooding. Class 2 – Lower flood potential: areas affected by secondary

flooding in extreme cases as a result of a prolonged flood event.

Coastal – Flooding from the sea. Fluvial – Flooding from rivers and water channels.

Figure 4 A geological indicator of flooding map with watercourses for Burscough


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Figure 5 A map of Burscough showing external flood events (2008-2017)


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Figure 6 A map of Burscough showing internal flood events (2008-2017)


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Figure 7 A map of the Burscough watercourses and external flood events (2008-2017)


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Figure 8 A map of Burscough watercourses and internal flood events (2008-2017)


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Figure 9 A map of external flood events and functional sites


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Figure 10 A map of internal flood events and functional sites


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Figure 11 A map of all flood events and functional sites


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The number of flood events within the highly productive aquifer in Figure 12, show that naturally the soil and rocks would take rainfall into them away from

the surface. This is being stopped by urbanisation and drainage issues, so the excess surface water floods instead of draining naturally.

Figure 12 A map of all flood events with a hydrogeological overlay


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Flood Photographs A to Z

Figure 13 A59 Liverpool Road South (Water from Sewer Discharging in Mill Dam Lane)


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Figure 14 A59 Liverpool Road South


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Figure 15 A59 Liverpool Road South

Figure 16 A59 Liverpool Road South (Garden Backing onto Yew Tree Farm)


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Figure 17 Abbey Lane

Figure 18 Alexander Close


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Figure 19 Belmont Close

Figure 20 Briars Lane


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Figure 21 Chapel Lane

Figure 22 Crabtree Lane (Flooding from Orrell Lane Watercourse)


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Figure 23 Crabtree Lane

Figure 24 Crabtree Lane


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Figure 25 Choked Watercourse Located in United Utilities (UU) WWTW (©Google)

Figure 26 Choked Watercourse (Burscough’s Main Surface Water Drain) in UU WWTW


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Figure 27 Delph Drive

Figure 28 Farmers Arms Pub


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Figure 29 Furnival Drive (Surface Water from Higgins Lane)

Figure 30 Gower Gardens


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Figure 31 Gower Gardens


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Figure 32 Higgins Lane

Figure 33 Junction Lane


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Figure 34 Lordsgate Lane




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Figure 37 Mill Dam Road and Manor Avenue (Copyright Environment Agency)


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Figure 38 Martin Mere

Figure 39 Martin Mere


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Figure 40 Meadow Lane

Figure 41 Mill Lane (Copyright Environment Agency)


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Figure 42 Moss Lane

Figure 43 New Lane Rail Crossing


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Figure 44 New Lane Village Centre

Figure 45 Orrell Lane

Figure 46 Pippin Street


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Figure 47 Richmond Avenue

Figure 48 Slipway Pub

Figure 49 Slipway Car Park


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Figure 50 Square Lane

Figure 51 Spill from United Utilities Sewage Pumping Station (New Lane WWTW)


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Figure 52 Sutch and Carr Lanes (Lathom)

Figure 53 Spill from United Utilities Sewage Pumping Station (New Lane WWTW)


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Figure 54 School Lane

Figure 55 Tollgate Road

Figure 56 Tollgate Road


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Figure 57 Warpers Moss Lane


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What is the Purpose of Flood Risk Management Authorities?

Burscough Flooding Group (BFG) found that West Lancashire's flood risks are managed by four Flood

Risk Management Authorities (FRMAs):

Lancashire County Council (LCC)

West Lancashire Borough Council (WLBC)

Environment Agency (EA)

United Utilities (UU)

The FRMAs have legal duties to, co-operate, collect data, undertake investigations and hold meetings to

discuss flood risk.

The FRMA collectively hold and manage large amounts of data on flooding and have considerable

expertise. BFG has made contact on many levels with the group to seek their assistance and find out what

they know about the flooding problems in Burscough. BFG found that their ‘Making Space for Water’

meetings are held in private and all of the FRMAs keep relevant data on the causes and locations of flood

risks secret from the public, councillors and planning committee members. So much of the information

obtained from the FRMAs has, by necessity, been obtained using Freedom of Information Legislation. In

the case of UU, who refused to divulge flooding information because they said it was commercial and

exempt from FOI legislation, some information was obtained through making complaints and through the

help of a Borough Councillor and LCC.

BFG found examples of clear contradictions between the actions of all the individual FRMAs and their

duty to ‘work in partnership to deliver flood risk management better to the benefit of their communities’,

Flood risk management: information for flood risk management authorities, asset owners and local

authorities, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Environment Agency.

For example, in 2010 UU told WLBC that 114 properties in Burscough were at risk from surface water

flooding [from its sewers], 92 external and 22 internal and they would strongly object to any large

development in the Burscough catchment area because its sewer network was overloaded. At the time the

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) for Burscough contained a caveat preventing large scale

development in Burscough without drainage infrastructure improvements. Yet WLBC redrafted the

SFRA into two parts and excluded the previous caveat limiting development.

Public money was used by WLBC in 2010 to investigate various flood risks in Burscough. The resulting

report, which was kept secret, identified many things including that the Tollgate Road surface water drain

has insufficient capacity and the road floods (it has done for years). That information wasn’t provided to

the planning committee for them to consider in 2014 before they approved the connection of the Booths


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site to the Tollgate Road surface water drainage, and the planning evidence indicates that WLBC didn’t

share that information with LCC either. Subsequently the Booths development flooded onto the Tollgate

Road in 2016 blocking it.

In 2017 WLBC revised the SFRA in preparation for the next local plan and the document already has

fundamental problems:

It does not include the flooding evidence supplied to them by BFG about the widespread foul and

surface water sewer flooding that occurred in the urban area

It does not include the extensive surface water flooding that occurred in the downstream areas

When it mentions flooding in Mill Lane, it states that the cause was unknown, yet in 2004 WLBC

recorded that houses and the road at Mill Lane and Ainscough Mill were flooded due to

inadequate capacity of the sewers. That underlying problem has never been solved and BFG have

been spoken to by residents who are flooded annually and have been campaigning to get the

drains fixed since they moved there in 2008

The FRMAs have recently passed a motion not to take minutes of their ‘Making Space for Water’

meetings adding an inappropriate level of secrecy to their activities.


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Flood Records

Burscough Flooding Group believes that the following data in the attached pdf, Flood Records for

Burscough-Rev12 07052017.pdf, is a comprehensive recent record of the locations, frequency and causes

of flooding in Burscough and the only comprehensive openly available record:


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Contact Details

Report flooding to:

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Search for Burscough Flooding Group or go to

https://en-gb.facebook.com/Burscough-Residents-Flooding-Group-1024888147595402/

Write to: Burscough Flooding Group (Care of Burscough Parish Council)

Office 1

Martland Mill

Mart Lane

Burscough

Lancashire

L40 0SD

Telephone: 01704 894914 (Care of Burscough Parish Council)

mailto:[email protected]

https://en-gb.facebook.com/Burscough-Residents-Flooding-Group-1024888147595402/

Burscough Flood Records Report for Burscough Parish Council · Executive Summary On the 8th June 2016 Burscough Parish Council agreed that a residents’ group should be set up to

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