The social effects of flooding on small rural communities in the UK; comparing Littleborough, Hebden Bridge and Whitworth

Abstract

With the increase in the last 10 years in the number of flood events and the gradually increase in the severity of them, flooding is becoming one of the United Kingdom’s biggest problems. This dissertation will be looking at the social effects of flooding on small communities in the UK particularly those in the northwest with particular focus on three small villages that are relatively close together. These there place are all very similar in that they all have a river run parallel through the village centre these villages are Littleborough a small village directly next to Rochdale and a short distance away from Manchester, Hebden bridge a village located in the Calderdale valley what has flooded on and off over the past 50 years but in the last decade has become a particular hotspot for flooding and finally Whitworth another village bordering right next to Rochdale but on the northeast side which has no really history of extreme flooding but with the increasing levels of prolonged precipitation in the next decade if a severe storm event occurs near to it there is the possibility of heavy flooding. This study is looking into each of these villages individual and together to compare the different social concerns of flooding and each locations attitude towards the risk of flooding in their area.