Witney News - Flood prevention work continues

Flood prevention work continues

West Oxfordshire District Council, Oxfordshire County Council, the Environment Agency and Cottsway Housing are pooling resources to improve flood defences in an ‘at high risk’ area in Witney.

A scheme is proposed for Eastfield and Hailey roads which are prone to flooding with many properties badly affected during July 2007. Works proposed include building up kerbs and a high wall and reshaping the green to make a swale so that flood waters are directed down the road into the stream. The total cost will be £55,000, some of the work has already started. Oxfordshire County Council is also looking at widening the stream to help take the excess water.

In addition, a separate £57,000 government grant has been successfully secured by West Oxfordshire District Council for individual property protection in Hailey and Eastfield roads. This will help the worst affected homes and will take place between December 2009 and March 2010.

The above joint agency scheme replaces a more ambitious proposal by the Environment Agency to build storage ponds to hold water upstream. This proposal had been fully researched and government funds applied for, but the scheme did not meet the government cost –benefit criteria so could not go ahead.

Flood prevention work by West Oxfordshire District Council continues in other parts of the district. Starting December 2009 this includes:

Shipton-under-Wychwood - a scheme costing £45,000 aims to alleviate flooding from the Littlestock Brook tributary. This will protect up to 10 properties.

Brize Norton and Carterton (December 2009 to March 2010) - a study costing £10,000 will include small-scale modelling in discrete areas. The condition and capacity of complex drainage system around Shilton Park will also be investigated.

Bampton (December 2009 to March 2010) – a government grant of £114,000 has been secured by West Oxfordshire District Council to protect individual properties in Bampton.

Eynsham (April 2010 ) - the District Council is contributing to a scheme led by the Environment Agency and Oxfordshire County Council to alleviate flooding in Station Lane.

Cllr David Harvey, Cabinet Member for Environment said, “It is a great relief that work has started on a scheme to help reduce the impact of flooding in the Eastfield and Hailey roads in Witney. Many householders in this area have suffered from flood damage on many occasions – it is very distressful and it is important that we do all we can to protect homes.

“Extensive protection work by the District Council and other agencies has not stopped since July 2007. In addition to specific schemes there is the ongoing maintenance of ditches and we are continuing to identify landowners to ensure that they too carry out their ditch clearing responsibilities. We are also encouraging self help wherever possible and the development of long term solutions by all the responsible agencies, organisations and private individuals.”