News Centre

02 Aug 2010 (archived)

Flood protection for Witney homes

Flood guards have been given to residents in Eastfield Road, Witney, as part of on-going flood prevention work in West Oxfordshire.

Ten households which are among homes most at risk from flooding in Eastfield Road have received flood guards to fit at their doorways and entrances. In the event of flooding risk, the guards can be fitted simply onto frames that have been installed at entrances to the properties.

The flood guards have been funded by a Government flood protection grant, secured by West Oxfordshire District Council.

Work has cost £57,000 and follows other flood prevention measures put in place to protect Eastfield Road as part of a joint project between the District Council, Oxfordshire County Council, the Environment Agency and Cottsway Housing.

Eastfield Road has previously suffered flooding and is deemed to be an 'at high risk' area. It was one of several areas in West Oxfordshire severely affected during the July 2007 floods.

Cllr David Harvey, West Oxfordshire District Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "Like all of our residents who have experienced flooding, those in Eastfield Road have been through some really tough times in recent years and we hope that this work will help to provide protection, and some peace of mind, for those whose homes are most at risk.

"Our Council has taken the problem of flooding extremely seriously and work has been on-going since the terrible floods of 2007 to secure and carry out as much flood protection work as possible in the affected areas across the district."

Emma Willis, who lives in one of the properties in Eastfield Road where flood guards have been fitted, said: "The house flooded in 2007, but luckily I wasn't living here at the time. I've got four children and it is really worrying - every time it rains for a long time I start to panic. The flood guards have given us some reassurance and a bit more peace of mind. I hope we won't have to use them, but if it does look like it's going to flood they seem sturdy and look like they'll keep the water out."

Next month, work will start on fitting flood guards at 20 homes in Bampton. The work will cost £114,000 and is also funded by a Government flood protection grant secured by the District Council.

The Council has also gained a further £57,000 of grant funding from the Environment Agency towards flood guards for 10 properties in Asthall and is liaising with the parish council and local residents about this scheme. Work will be carried out by March 2011.

Background on flooding

On July 20^th 2007 large parts of south England were subjected to intensive rainfall. RAF Brize Norton's weather station recorded 126.2mm of rainfall, the highest level since records began. In West Oxfordshire, 1,631 homes and 72 businesses were flooded.

Since then, West Oxfordshire District has undertaken in-depth investigations into the causes of flooding and what flood protection improvements could be made. It has produced Town/Parish Flood Reports for all affected areas in consultation with local people, landowners, town and parish councils and key agencies and organisations. These outline the responsibilities of the District Council, Environment Agency, Oxfordshire County Council, Thames Water and other landowners.

Some flood prevention work has been carried out as a result of these reports and the Council continues to work with other agencies on flood prevention issues.

In addition to specific flood prevention schemes, there is on-going maintenance of ditches under the Council's responsibility and the Council is continuing to encourage landowners to carry out their own ditch clearing responsibilities.

Flood prevention measures in Eastfield Road/Hailey Road
Work has previously been carried out in Eastfield and Hailey roads to build up kerbs, heighten grass verges and re-shape the green to make a swale so that flood waters are directed down the road into a stream. This work cost £60,000 (in addition to the £57,000 grant for flood guards) and was carried out as part of a joint project between the District and County Council, Environment Agency and Cottsway Housing. It also included building a protective stone wall in West End, Witney, and flood guards to protect a small number of properties there.

This joint agency work replaced a more ambitious proposal by the Environment Agency to build storage ponds to hold water upstream, for which Government funding was refused.

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