FLOOD prevention projects in the Bradford District face a £15 MILLION funding gap - according to a new report.

A report to Bradford Council's Bradford East Area Committee, due to meet tonight, updates members on work to reduce flooding in the constituency.

The Bradford Aire Flood Alleviation Study - set up after the Boxing Day floods of 2015 - has investigated ways to reduce flood risk for communities along the River Aire including Keighley, Bingley, Baildon, Shipley, Esholt and Apperley Bridge.

The study has investigated the use of upstream storage solutions within Craven and the western parts of Bradford, including at Holden Park and Marley Sewerage Treatment works.

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The report says: "The early results show levels can be reduced however the cost of implementing these measures are proportionally high and therefore current funding arrangements sourced through DEFRA do not fully fund any of the measures.

"The final study outputs will be available in the Autumn but the early calculations indicate a forecasted funding gap of circa £15m across all the schemes along the River Aire.

"To help close the funding gap, Bradford Council are actively monitoring other funding streams such as Local Growth Funds through the LEP and European Structural and Investment Funds.

"Further catchment wide discussion are taking place with the Environment Agency to see where multi benefit schemes across the catchment could help fill the funding gaps."

A plan by Leeds City Council to reduce flooding in Leeds will also include works in Apperley Bridge.

Work in Apperley Bridge and Calverley makes up  Leeds Flood Alleviation Study Phase 2.

The current cost of funding Step 2 is around £40m and Leeds Council is "seeking discussions with Government" on how to pay for this.

The Bradford East Area Committee is due to take place in City Hall at 6pm tonight.