Flood scheme approved for Devon village

Some properties are currently at risk of flooding every five years.

A flood improvement scheme for a Devon village in which some properties are at risk of flooding every five years has been approved.

The £780,000 scheme will improve flood protection to 45 properties in Stokeinteignhead, some of which are currently at risk from a one in five-year flood event.

The proposals will enhance protection above a one in 50-year event and up to one in 75-year for many of the properties.

Cllr Alistair Dewhirst, who represents the village on Devon County Council, praised the news and said that residents will soon be able to sleep soundly in the knowledge that their properties are now protected.

Speaking at Wednesday morning’s cabinet meeting, where the implementation of the proposed flood improvements was unanimously agreed, Cllr Dewhirst said: “This will make a massive difference to people’s whose houses have been flooded and flooded and flooded again. The consequence to people’s lives has been unbelievable, so this is great news for our community.

“When this scheme is finished they will be able to sleep soundly in the knowledge that their properties are now protected. My hope is that by next year the engineering works will all be finished and the community will be able to enjoy living in this beautiful village safe in the knowledge that their houses will be protected for generations to come.”

Work in set to start early in 2020, and the scheme includes:

– Improvements to highway drainage, increasing the capacity of culverts and pipes in Dean Road and Stoke Road where there are currently “pinch points”;

– The installation of Property Flood Resilience to individual properties. For the majority of properties this is likely to be measures on boundary walls;

– Natural Flood Management will also be developed through the installation of measures such as woody debris dams, and scrapes, which are shallow depressions with gently sloping edges that seasonally hold water and provide a habitat for wildlife.

The improvement scheme follows severe weather in 2012, which flooded a dozen properties in the village.

Cllr Roger Croad, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for environment, added: “Our flood risk team have worked closely with local residents, parish council and local member to develop a final scheme that was affordable and yet still delivered considerable flood protection to properties which would otherwise remain a high risk in terms of vulnerability to flooding.”

Dave Black, Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment, in his report to the meeting, added: “After much deliberation and determination to achieve the maximum standard of protection, the decision has had to be made to deliver an affordable scheme that achieves a more realistic cost benefit, while still providing a much-improved standard of protection

“The current standard of protection to some properties is estimated to be as low as from the 1 in 5-year event and this scheme aims to improve the standard beyond the 1 in 50 year, as a minimum, and, for many properties, up to the 1 in 75-year scenario.”

The news comes as plans for the first phase of a scheme to reduce flood risk to more than 100 homes and businesses in Sidmouth are due to be submitted next week.

Devon County Council is submitting the plans which will provide protection from surface water around The Knowle area of the town.

The proposals include drains across Station Road to capture surface water flows. This will discharge via a pipe to a swale, or channel, through the parkland to a storage area at the lower end which will be constructed in the form of an amphitheatre. This design will also serve as a public amenity.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management and the Local Member for Sidmouth Sidford, said: “This flood alleviation scheme is extremely important for the town. A lot of investigation work has gone into working up the design of this scheme in order to increase the standard of flood protection in Sidmouth, so it’s encouraging to see that the application is now ready to be submitted.

“This scheme is a win-win for Sidmouth as not only will it reduce flood risk but it will also provide a performance area for events, including the Sidmouth Folk Festival.”

The scheme has been developed through the County Council’s Surface Water Management Plan for Sidmouth which was established after 18 properties in the town were flooded in November 2014.

Delivery of this scheme will be subject to planning approval and available funding, but council officers hope work on this first phase will start in Spring 2020.