WORK on Otley's flood alleviation scheme is taking place over three consecutive Saturday mornings to make up for a delay.

Piling work took place last Saturday and will also be carried out from 8am to 1pm on Saturday, May 1 and Saturday, May 8.

The scheme requires metal piles to be driven into the ground to stop the flood water. These will be covered by soil so they will not be seen.

In an update on the scheme's progress Leeds City Council said the piling work had started a few days later than expected because of a delay in some of the equipment being delivered to the site.

Because of that the council said it was planning to undertake some work on three Saturday mornings to catch up on the programme and complete the current phase as soon as possible.The council is planning to complete this phase of piling by the middle of May. There will be a second phase of piling works later in the summer.

Otley and Yeadon councillor Colin Campbell said driving the piles into the ground will be noisy and disruptive.

He added:"I'm disappointed that there has been a slight delay in the works and feel that the proposed Saturday working will cause issues. However it is important that the works are completed for the autumn when flood risk increases and though residents will be inconvenienced in the long term all the whole town will benefit from the scheme."

Work on Otley's flood alleviation scheme began in March. Construction had originally been due to begin shortly after the proposals were approved a year earlier but it was set back by lockdown.

The project, which is a major part of Otley’s £3.3 million flood defence scheme, involves a flood defence embankment running parallel with Billams Hill and the management of vegetation on the islands downstream at Otley Weir. The scheme, which is part of the response against the climate emergency,will reduce flood risk to 53 properties in the area around Wharfemeadows Park.