An Alternative Proposal for the Walton-le-Dale Flood Defences
The Save the Royal Lime Trees Action Group has developed an alternative proposal for the Walton-le-Dale section of the Preston & South Ribble Flood Risk Management Scheme.
The proposal has been prepared in response to the Environment Agency’s plans for the flood defences along Victoria Road, which include the removal of 18 of the 21 Royal Lime Trees and an extended period of road closure during construction.
The Action Group has circulated its alternative proposal to relevant councillors, officials, members of the media and other interested parties, together with technical information describing how it believes the scheme could be delivered without removing the trees.
The proposed alternative
The Action Group’s proposal is intended to address the principal objectives of the flood defence scheme while retaining all 21 of the Royal Lime Trees.
According to the Action Group, its proposed approach would:
- retain all 21 Royal Lime Trees;
- increase the height of the existing dwarf wall by approximately 25cm, providing additional allowance for future flood levels;
- stabilise the existing masonry wall, which dates from the early nineteenth century;
- reduce the need for major excavation and associated disruption;
- avoid the proposed 18-month full road closure; and
- have an estimated cost of approximately £1.5 million, compared with the Environment Agency’s estimated cost of around £10 million for its current proposal.
The Action Group considers that the approach could provide flood protection designed for the expected conditions over the next 100 years while avoiding the loss of the historic tree avenue.
The Royal Lime Trees
The 21 lime trees form a distinctive feature of Victoria Road and are an important part of Walton-le-Dale’s local heritage.
The trees were planted in 1912, in connection with the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. Their arrangement is understood locally as representing a 21-gun salute.
Their proposed removal has therefore been a particular focus of local opposition to the Environment Agency’s scheme.
Construction and traffic
A further issue addressed by the alternative proposal is the disruption that would result from the planned works.
The Environment Agency’s current scheme involves a proposed full closure of the road for approximately 18 months. The Action Group has raised concerns about the consequences of diverting traffic onto Hennel Lane, a 20mph road which also provides access to St Leonard’s Primary School.
The alternative proposal is intended to allow the flood defence works to be undertaken without requiring the same scale of road closure.
The proposal and the planning process
The alternative scheme is a proposal put forward by the Save the Royal Lime Trees Action Group. Its technical feasibility, cost and ability to satisfy all relevant flood-risk, engineering and planning requirements would need to be considered by the appropriate authorities and technical specialists.
The Action Group has stated that its intention is for the Environment Agency to consider and, if appropriate, adopt the alternative approach as part of the continuing development of the flood defence scheme.
The proposal has therefore been circulated to the relevant parties so that its technical details can be considered alongside the Environment Agency’s existing scheme.
Background to the planning position
South Ribble Borough Council announced on 29 June 2026 that it would not contest the Judicial Review brought by John Hull concerning the planning permission for the flood defence works.
The Environment Agency, as an interested party, has indicated that it intends to contest the Judicial Review.
The outcome of the legal process and any subsequent planning application will determine how the flood defence scheme proceeds. The Action Group’s alternative proposal provides an additional option for consideration during that process.
The proposal does not represent an approved alternative to the Environment Agency’s scheme. It is a locally developed proposal whose technical details have been submitted to the relevant parties for consideration.