Cumbria Innovative Flood Resilience (CiFR) project – Warcop Update – September 2025
Works completed to date
- Ongoing modelling has identified multiple areas that, if they could all be built, would significantly reduce the flood risk at Warcop.
- Meetings continue to be held on a regular basis with National Highways to follow up on progress of the final design of Scheme 6 within the A66 project (Scheme 6 is the area which covers Warcop).
- CiFR has shared mapping and modelling information with National Highways A66 Team and there is on-going engagement between the CiFR project team, the wider Council and Environment Agency to ensure there is effective communication between the project and the National Highways A66 Team.
- CiFR has provided designs for one of the options to National Highways A66 Team for consideration.
- The project has installed Doppler radar monitoring equipment on Hayber Beck looking at water levels.
- On-going Landowner engagement to identify if Natural Flood Management (NFM) interventions are viable and what payment rates would be acceptable.
- Grant awarded to Eden Rivers Trust for delivery of Natural Flood Management interventions at Warcop.
Next Steps
- Further landowner engagement as above.
- CiFR progressing with interventions outside and just inside the National Highways A66 project redline boundary whilst mechanisms are explored that would allow National Highways to deliver NFM interventions inside the red line boundary.
- Planning and permitting information to be submitted for NFM interventions.
Future works
- Delivery of NFM interventions via Eden Rivers Trust.
- Modelling to be completed on where else in the catchment CiFR could find temporary storage areas to reduce the impacts of flooding.
Community Engagement
- The project team attended Warcop Parish Council’s meeting on 13 March 2025 to provide an update on the project.
- CiFR Community Resilience Coordinator met with the Clerk of the Parish Council on 23 May 2025. Community Resilience Plan has been shared which is currently under review.
- Community engagement event being planned later in the year.
Challenges / Opportunities
- Increased potential to work with National Highways A66 team to see if a betterment can be delivered.
- A66 works are likely to be delivered outside of the lifetime of the CiFR project, therefore a mechanism needs to be formalised to allow National Highways to deliver these NFM interventions.
Further information
A further update will be provided following the next Cumbria Strategic Risk Management Authority Steering Group meeting in Winter 2025.
The project team can be contacted via CIFR@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.