Whaley Bridge: Plans submitted for permanent dam repair

Temporary repairs have been put in place to prevent another crisis

Plans for a multimillion-pound permanent repair for the damaged Whaley Bridge dam have been submitted.

The Derbyshire dam partially collapsed in August 2019, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate the nearby town over fears it could totally collapse.

An official report later found this was caused by poor design and a lack of maintenance.

The Canal and River Trust, which owns the dam, has applied to build a replacement for the 1970s spillway.

It estimates the project will cost between about £12m and £16m and take about two years to complete.

The plans include a new overflow side channel to prevent water levels reaching too high in the Toddbrook Reservoir.

There are also plans to build a new clubhouse for the sailing club, as the current one will be impacted by the new spillway.

Toddbrook Reservoir was at risk of flooding Whaley Bridge when part of the dam collapsed

On the afternoon of 1 August 2019, about 1,500 people were instructed to leave their homes in Whaley Bridge immediately and find alternative accommodation.

Heavy rain had caused a large section of the dam's spillway at Toddbrook Reservoir to fall away and there were fears the whole structure could collapse, leading to a huge flood with the potential to wipe out much of the town.

Emergency crews worked relentlessly to pump huge amounts of water from the reservoir to bring levels down while an RAF Chinook helicopter dropped sandbags and aggregate into the compromised spillway to reinforce it.

Many expected the evacuation to last a few hours or just one night - but in fact it was not until the following Wednesday they were given the green light to return, after emergency repairs were carried out.

Since then temporary repairs have been carried out which the trust says makes the dam "secure against any extreme weather event".

'Vital project'

The plans for the new works have been submitted to High Peak Borough Council, which will announce its decision at a later date.

Daniel Greenhalgh, North West director for the Canal and Rivers Trust, said: "We thank everyone for their patience and support over the last two years.

"Plans for the permanent repair design have been guided by modern engineering best practice and shaped by local feedback. Public safety is our top priority.

"Restoring Toddbrook is vital to ensure the long term viability of the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals."