Council backs £3m Whiston flood defence scheme
A £3 million flood alleviation scheme for Whiston is set to be approved after emerging as the top-scoring bid for developer funding used to support new housing growth across the borough.
A report to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s cabinet recommends allocating £3m of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding to the Whiston Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme, designed to reduce flood risk to 53 homes and unlock potential housing sites.
The funding comes from money collected from developers to pay for infrastructure needed to support growth, such as transport, health facilities and flood defences.
Council officers said the Whiston scheme was “critical infrastructure” and the only project in this year’s bidding round to score above the 70 per cent threshold required for approval. The scheme is one of six priority flood projects identified by the council and is expected to be delivered in 2026 if funding is agreed.
The report warns the project cannot proceed without CIL funding and says it would play a key role in protecting Whiston village while supporting two large housing allocations in the Local Plan.
Alongside the flood scheme, councillors are also being asked to note a bid for NHS improvements across the borough.
The South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board has applied for £219,530 to fund improvements at GP surgeries in areas seeing housing growth, including Maltby, Wickersley, Aston and Swallownest.
While the NHS bid passed initial eligibility checks, officers raised concerns about a lack of detail on which surgeries would benefit and how the money would be spent. As a result, it scored lower and is not recommended for funding at this stage.
In total, 11 projects bid for nearly £30m of Strategic CIL funding this year, despite the council having just over £8.2m available.
Other bids included two major flood schemes, road junction improvements, street lighting upgrades, heritage repairs and leisure projects. Only five passed the initial “gateway” tests, and just one – Whiston Brook – met the council’s scoring threshold.
If cabinet approves the recommendation, £3m will be allocated immediately, with the remaining £5.2m carried forward for future infrastructure projects.
Officers said holding back some funds would be “prudent” given the likelihood of additional housing sites coming forward sooner than expected due to national planning reforms.
Cabinet is due to make a decision on the funding at its next meeting on January 19.