At long last we’ve had a positive response from the Environmental Agency (EA) regarding our flood alleviation plan for the flood prone properties along the Sor Brook. They have accepted a funding "deal" with Cherwell District Council (CDC). The proposal is that CDC will carry out the work using funding from the EA, the CDC and an appropriate injection of funds from County Council Highways for the Plank Bridge works. This scheme has now been approved by the CDC and work is planned to start next summer.
The EA have also told me that next summer they will dredge the Sor Brook, down stream from Dog Close, as part of their regular maintenance work (“regular” being once every 40 years I guess….!).
Dog Close Sewage Pipe
The pipe collects debris and obstructs the flow of water under the Dog Close bridge; it belongs to Thames Water (TW) who refuse to remove it. I have approached the CDC legal department and asked them to determine whether we would have a legal case against TW. They say that we may have a case under the “Private Nuisance Act” but they are not in a position to proceed further. The EA’s legal man is unwilling to make a case on the grounds that any initial investigation will cost too much. I intend to pursue this further – perhaps under the new Sustainable Communities Act.
The Old Mill
The EA contracted Halcrow to survey the Old Mill with a view to opening up the main tunnel. As far as we can ascertain, their report says the idea would be too risky and expensive – as was determined back in 1988 – so, another waste of public money!
The Old Mill sluice gate has been raise to the fully open position for the winter – thanks to Kevin Darke at Brooke House in Mill Lane.
The Hooks Farm Sluice Gate.
Following a warning from the CDC last Saturday and considerable effort in the pouring rain, John Paul, Ian Asbury and myself managed to get the sluice fully open before a predicted surge swept down the Sor Brook on Saturday night. Unfortunately, one house in Dog Close took in 2” of water; however, all other susceptible properties were ok. The sluice will remain open all winter to improve drainage of the flood plain to the south of the village.
Updated Flood Plan.
I have updated the Adderbury Parish Council Flood Plan and handed over responsibility for it to Ian Asbury on the Parish Council. The updated version has been sent out to flood prone households by Pam Haynes, the PC Clerke . (if you need a copy please contact Pam on 812844. Meanwhile, we have to get through another winter and spring before anything is done – so, fingers crossed that we don’t have another 7/7 “monsoon” between now and the completion of the flood alleviation work.
To all residents who may be affected by flooding – I recommend that you register with the Environment Agency’s flood warning service: Call 0845 9881188.
Rick Atkinson, Adderbury & Milton ward, Cherwell District Council. 18 December 2008
It is now a year since eleven properties in Adderbury, along the Sor Brook and in Dog Close, were flooded. So, what has been done to prevent it happening again?
The Environmental Agency (EA) is responsible for the maintenance of rivers and water ways, therefore any action or funding has to come from them. Their initial report seemed to be resigned to the notion that the properties in Dog Close have always been prone to flooding and there was no single action which would prevent it. They said they would continue to investigate by computer modelling and make a survey of the Old Mill – shades of the 1998 floods when nothing tangible was done. I felt that their response was totally unacceptable so together with John Harper and the backing of the Parish Council, set about addressing the problem. The first thing was to get a flood plan in place and issue it to all affected property owners. This was done last year along with advice and dates of exhibitions on flood protection.
Next, was to seek local knowledge on how the flow of water through Adderbury was controlled when we had a working mill and before the maintenance of the water system was more or less neglected. My thanks go to Robert Cook of Green Farm; Arthur Spencer, Dog Close; Alan Wilson, The Old Mill; Kevin Darke, Brook House and John Paul, The Hooks Farm. Armed with their knowledge and advice and, working through Tony Brummell, Head of Engineering Services at Cherwell DC, we put the following recommendations to the EA:
1. Open the Sluice Gate at The Hooks Farm weir.
2. Dig a flood relief gully across the bottom end of the Lucy Plackett field.
3. Create a spill off gully from the mill stream to the Sor Brook
4. Increase the width between the Plank Bridge parapets.
5. Remove a disused brick structure down stream of the Old Mill.
6. Remove and relocated the sewage pipe which obstructs the bridge arch in Dog Close.
The EA declined to take any action and referred us to Thames Water for the removal of the sewage pipe - who said “We would not be able to make a business case for it in terms of the operation of our sewage infrastructure” (!?). I decided that we would have to take matters into our own hands and the following actions were taken:
Having ascertained that it would have no detrimental affect down stream, The Hooks Farm Weir was cleared of debris and the sluice gate opened (this improved the drainage of the flood meadows to the south of Adderbury).
We overcame a mechanical problem at the Old Mill weir and opened the sluice gate a further ten inches (using my schoolboy maths, I calculated that this would allow an additional twelve cubic meters of water per minute to flow through the mill tunnel in flood conditions).
In January this year we came close to properties in Dog Close flooding again. It could be that the work on the two sluice gates saved the day but we can’t be sure. Meanwhile we are pressuring the EA to get on and act on our recommendations. They have now said that they have commissioned a civil engineering company to carry out a survey of the Old Mill; I believe that this course of action would takes years and, at the very least, work should start now on the overspill gulley and the plank bridge. Of course it all boils down to a lack of funding - which was not helped by the EU reducing its flood relief subsidy to the UK from £120M to £30M. I have written to our MEP about that but what can he do? - keep riding the gravy train!?
Finally, Tony Brummell and I will not rest until we get some action and, supported by Keith Mitchell (Leader of Oxford County Council) and Tony Baldry our MP, we are looking at alternative ways to obtain funding.
Rick Atkinson, Adderbury & Milton ward, Cherwell District Council. 6 July 2008 rickatkinson@cherwell-dc.gov.uk, Mobile: 07854 258 476.
Photography on the site has been kindly supplied from many sources, particular thanks to:
J & S Hurd Photography - 01295 811108 and Adderbury, Deddington & District Photographic Society
