Derby flood defence pumping station completed

The scheme includes new flood walls and flood gates

A new pumping station designed to help protect Derby from flooding has been completed.

The Mill Fleam, on Bass's Recreation Ground, is part of the Our City, Our River (OCOR) project.

It will pump water from Markeaton Brook, which runs under the city, into the River Derwent to prevent floodwater coming up through drains.

The scheme has also seen new flood walls and flood gates installed, combined with improved landscaping.

'Properties protected'

It marks the end of a £95m phase of flood defence work which covers the west bank of the Derwent from Darley Abbey to Alvaston Park.

Currently over 2,000 properties have better flood protection due to the OCOR works, the city council said.

The Principal Engineer for the project, Murray Parker, said: "Everything is being kept as compact and small as possible so as to not have to pave over green space.

"We have also introduced fish breeding areas downstream of the station and we have a whole programme of regreening and planting trees and returning the park to what is was before we started."

Bird and bat boxes and otter holts have also been installed along the river to provide habitats for wildlife.