The support comes as North Yorkshire Council is calling for public comments on a scheme, which if approved, should see work on the two-year scheme start in the Spring.
Nine years ago, after two days of heavy rain that Christmas Day and Boxing Day caused river levels to peat at a record 4.4m, the historic bridge over the Wharfe collapsed, cutting the town in two.
Properties that had never been flooded were engulfed by water and mud and in total some 79 homes and businesses were hit with millions of pounds of damage caused.
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Senior government minister Greg Clark and then Selby MP Nigel Adams visited the scene on December 28 and they were among the last to cross the bridge, before it collapsed, with film of its demise being broadcast worldwide.
The government funded a replacement bridge, which was widened and re-opened more than a year later. However, while the work was done, the 9-mile detour from one part of town to the other, hit businesses, forcing some to close.
York also suffered with flooding in 2015 and this year the Environment Agency completed the Foss Storage Area scheme a scheme protecting 490 properties in Strensall.
Meanwhile, Tadcaster businesses were hit further by the pandemic lockdowns and then yet more flooding in February 2022, from storms Dudney, Eunice and Franklin. Though the flooding wasn’t as deep as in 2025, its impact was greater as by then businesses were finding it harder to renew their insurance, with many going without.
Tadcaster cleans up after the 2015 floods (Image: pic supplied)
Business leaders and politicians campaigned for a new flood alleviation scheme, something recommended in a report by North Yorkshire Council in 2017. The Environment Agency began consulting on a scheme that October and an extra £9million was awarded in 2019 to deliver an £16million project.
After further design refinements, the Environment Agency submitted a planning application in November 2024 to North Yorkshire Council.
It featured 225 documents detailing with every aspect of the scheme- layout, height of the defences, construction details, working procedures, transport routes and vehicle movements, biodiversity and environmental impacts, impact on trees and the riverbank.
Now, with everything in place, including funding, bar planning approval, the Tadcaster Flood Defence Alliance of politicians, businesses and other groups is making a final push by calling on people to tell North Yorkshire Council they support the food defence plans. Three hundred letters of support have been sent already.
North Yorkshire Councillor Kirsty Poskitt (Ind-Tadcaster) said: “The Flood Alleviation Scheme proposed by the Environment Agency has been designed to protect Tadcaster from the repeated flooding we have seen in recent years. Nine years after the disaster of 2015 we need to give a last push to get the defences built. The public consultation is your opportunity to register your support and help get the job done.”
Nicola Eades, practice manager of Bridge Street Dental, said: “Flooding not only destroys homes and businesses but also severely disrupts our high street.
“The economic impact on our town centre is enormous: whether you live or work here, flooding affects you directly. To help get the scheme approved and built please register your support before the consultation closes on 14 January.”
Wetherby and Easingwold MP (Con) Sir Alec Shelbrooke MP said: “It is indisputable that Tadcaster’s residents and businesses deserve protection after numerous flood events.
“I made that point to the local planning authority when I commented on the application early in December. I urge anybody who wishes to comment to do so before the 14 January closing date for public comments.”
Tadcaster Flood Defence Alliance spokesman Howard Ferguson added: “An important part of the planning process is the public consultation. All comments have to be taken into consideration when the planning authority make their decision.
“The Planning Authority want to know what you think and why you think it. They are not expecting you to be an expert on planning so all that is required is for you to use your own words to comment on an application. You should not make your comments over-long. Now is your opportunity to comment on the proposed Tadcaster flood alleviation scheme before the closing date.”
The application can be found on the North Yorkshire Council website.
The Planning reference number is ZG2024/1144 and comments can be sent to planningcomments.sel@northyorks.gov.uk
