Park reopens after flood works completed

A West Yorkshire park has reopened to the public after flood improvement works were carried out to better protect the local area.

Wellholme Park in Brighouse has undergone natural flood management measures such as the installation of new flood storage areas, the removal of old weirs and a redesigned river channel to allow water to flow more naturally.

To mark the reopening, visitors are invited to take part in a discovery trail between 10:00 and 14:00 BST on Wednesday, Calderdale Council said.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said the region knows "all too well the devastation caused by floods and how important it is to invest in our beautiful landscapes to slow the flow of water".

The park now also has wetland and wildflower meadows to create a bio-diverse habitat.

Improvements have been made to Clifton Beck to support a healthy and resilient fish population.

There is also improved access and more "welcoming spaces" so the park can be enjoyed year round.

The works are a partnership between the Environment Agency and Calderdale Council to reduce flood risk for homes and businesses in Brighouse.

A council spokesperson said: "We have redesigned how water moves through the landscape, working with nature rather than against it".

Neighbouring Whinney Hill Park has also been enhanced with improved access and "more diverse and resilient surroundings year-round".

The wider scheme was due to be delivered in March this year but has been pushed back until March 2028, according to a West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) report.

The report partially attributed the multi-million-pound project's derailment to an adolescent badger that had created an "underground home" at the site.

It also outlined other reasons for the delay, including poor quality material that was unfit to be reused and disruption from Storm Claudia in November 2025.

Brabin added: "With record-breaking heatwaves in the summer and one-in-a-hundred-year floods in the winter, now is the time to invest in Brighouse and beyond to protect homes and businesses, boost wildlife and biodiversity, and create a greener, nature-rich region that works for all."

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