New forest could be created to act as a ‘giant sponge’ to protect flood-prone town

Campaigners want to create a new forest to act as a giant ‘sponge’ in flood-prone Littleborough.

The Pennines town often suffers when the region is hit by heavy rainfall – something which has become increasingly common over recent years.

Now residents and local councillors are calling for a massive tree planting scheme on land at the derelict Longley Hey Farm.

The proposed site sits just below Higher Chelburn Reservoir and stretches from there to Halifax Road.

The campaign got underway after two residents approached Littleborough Lakeside councillor Tom Besford with the idea – and has now gained significant local backing.

 

 

Councillor Besford says the former farmland – owned by United Utilities – is perfect for a new forest, unlike much of the ‘heavy peaty moorland’ in the area.

He said: “Trees are nature’s lungs, they help to keep our air clean and breathable, they also soak up water running off the hills.

“A massive tree planting programme on the edge of the Pennines in Littleborough will both improve our air quality and reduce the flood risk.”

Explaining what makes the site so ideal for the project, he added that it would ‘basically act like a big sponge’.

“Land cultivated for agriculture is an absolutely prime location for a forest,” he said.

“It’s quite a big space and what it would do is, essentially, is massively reduce the water run-off from Blackstone Edge into Littleborough.

“We think it would be really supportive to flood defence.

“But more than that we have a significant carbon emissions target to reach and it’s really important to keep the air quality as clean as possible.”

 

 

Councillor Besford says the idea has received a ‘positive response’ from City of Trees – the movement aiming to plant three million trees across Greater Manchester – as well as the backing of council leader Allen Brett.

However, the scheme may rest on whether United Utilities – which owns the land – is willing to come on board.

Although the water company has yet to commit to the scheme, it says the matter is under serious consideration.

A spokeswoman said: “We will be giving careful thought around the future of Longley Hey.

“We are at the early stages of undertaking a comprehensive review of this site and no decision has yet been made on what the next steps will be.

“As a responsible company we have a commitment to plant one million trees across our estates by 2030, and already have in place a working partnership with City of Trees in the Greater Manchester area on delivering new woodlands.”

Nick Statham, Local Democracy Reporter