Hedgehope Avenue Works

July

19

9 comments

The blocking of the ditch behind Hedgehope Avenue helped cause flooding in Down Hall Road last year...
The blocking of the ditch behind Hedgehope Avenue helped cause flooding in Down Hall Road last year…

Credit’s where it’s due. The District Council has worked behind the scenes to get Anglian Water to carry out improvements to the ditch that runs between Hedgehope Avenue and Down Hall Close in Rayleigh.
Nearly 30 years ago the District Council paid to enclose most of the ditch in a culvert, but weren’t able to do all of it. That meant there was an open stretch between two culverted sections. After the floods last year we were asking that the open section be culverted as well, so we are very pleased that the work has been done. Town Councillor Chris Lumley had a look this week, and residents there are very positive about it.

But there are still plenty more sites to deal with…

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  • Look East news tonight – Flooding in Rayleigh this afternoon , same place as last year but did’nt say where , very relevant for the new flood committee meeting …..

  • What everyone forgets Jim is that this area is riddled with underground streams. In the “good old days” many of the local fields had ponds, my husband remembers one in the field at the back of us when he was a youngster. They were fed, and in turn fed into, these streams. At times of severe weather they often acted as a natural flood catch pool. I know there is one under our garden. When my late mother in law needed a new cess pit they dug trial holes in the back garden to see if it could be sited there, they needed to check the water table. Every time they inspected the holes the water had risen! Most of the fields round here had ponds and those streams still exist. I doubt if now even the Environment Agency know where they all are. Older residents will probably remember where some of the ponds were. Of course over the years more intensive farming has meant the ponds have been filled in, but their feeders are still there with nowhere to go but straight on until they can come out into a road somewhere.

  • I am told by a resident that Salem Close houses escaped by a whisker because the residents cleared some debris .It is very upsetting that they have only just moved back after last years deluge of sewerage and flood water ruined the ground floors .There appears to be a problem at the bottom of the EON site ,think how much better it will be with the Countryside development to come downstream !!! Heard interview on BBC news with a Canvey Town Councillor echoing all our complaints with new Developments ,lack of infrastructure,flooding and complete lack of listening by district councils .Unfortunately they have all lacked the guts to stand up to successive governments to resist extra housing for incomers .Whatever our Councillors say about housing being for our own the reality will prove otherwise .

  • A.Matthews – any more details on the ‘ problem at Eon Site’ please, this is critical evidence as ( just like Countryside ) this developer has argued the modern day SUDS design criteria caters for flooding.
    The proposed 475 houses immediately adjacent ( and bisected by the same stream and 7.5 acres of classified Flood Plain ) will be designed on the same basis – if Eon site has flooded again ( like last year ) it is the best basis of an objection to planning permission – any photo’s or info from yesterday anyone?.
    PS: A good job this is only a 1 in a 100 year event then – tongue in cheek comment!!!.

  • Richard, the works here have dealt with troublespot on this watercourse, we now need to look downstream at others (which I think are more in the way of ditch maintenance …

  • Chris, that is blindingly obvious the problem with watercourse is that you have to make sure there are clear from source to when they enter the sea ! So whoi should be doing that for this brook and who is chasing them ??

  • I reiterate my request for any specific information on issues at the Eon site on Sunday
    – this is critical as this is the most recent ( current ) site designed to the so called latest criteria for flood water design ( just like Countryside explained at their roadshow ) but is it good enough????????.

  • Richard @7 – getting the volume away via the watercourses is of course fundamental,
    and cleared from start to finish is a huge (£) undertaking – hence they hide behind the exceptional/ extreme conditions party- line.
    But it is’nt the only issue , fundamental poor design ( approved at the planning stage)
    Is not uncommon , examples being Fairmead / Salem – built below road levels and
    In the path of storm water heading for the Culvert / Ditch behind them. Another is at
    Canterbury Close – the 12″ storm drain ties into ( end on ) a larger / higher level 16″
    storm drain , only one winner in that head on collision of water so it backs up and floods into the houses again built lower than the road and backing a Culvert.
    Developers design it / Planners approve it and Anglian Water presumably don’t oppose it when adopted – that is’nt extreme conditions that is a flawed design basis.

    Downhall Park / Priory Close / Laburnum Close/ Eon site – all subject to recent past design criteria , all failing , why would Countryside North of London Rd be any different?.

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