News

Council reveals thousands of flood risk homes

By Tim Harris
February 22, 2013

THOUSANDS of properties in Aldershot and Farnborough could be at risk from surface water flooding, according to a flood plan.

The new Hampshire County Council action plan to manage flooding in the borough has identified the potential risk of surface flooding in Rushmoor.

The draft long-term Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) revealed that in the case of more severe, rare storms, 7,024 properties could be at risk of shallow surface water flooding across the borough, with 1,451 at risk of deep surface flooding.

The plan also shows that for more minor and common storms, 2,156 properties could be at risk of shallow surface water flooding, and 292 at risk of deep surface flooding.

The draft SWMP has been published by the county council for residents and organisations to give their views before it is finalised.

It includes a flood risk assessment for each ward in Aldershot and Farnborough, identifying areas where floods have occurred in the past.

The plan shows the Aldershot Park ward and Farnborough’s Cherrywood ward could have larger numbers of properties at risk of surface water flooding. The report also makes reference to recent storms in Rushmoor in 2006 and 2007, where ‘significant flooding’ took place.

The county council, as the lead local flood authority, has worked with Rushmoor Borough Council to develop the SWMP, which identifies locations in the borough that are likely to flood from surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses.

Councillor Mel Kendal, deputy leader and executive member for environment and transport for the county council, said: “Exceptional periods of rain can cause flooding that can inundate roads and buildings and overload drainage systems.

“Highway drainage systems are designed to deal with certain frequencies of storm and rainfall intensity but sudden heavy downpours can be a problem and lead to short-term surface flooding.

“In identifying problem areas and the action that can be taken, the SWMP will serve to influence decision-making relating to future capital investment in drainage, land use planning and inform decisions about appropriate drainage

solutions for housing and infrastructure developments.”

Cllr Kendal also explained how residents have a role to play in taking action against flooding, as well as the county and borough councils.

“Every householder has a responsibility to ensure ditches on their land are clear to ensure water can flow freely,” he continued.

“Many people are unaware of their responsibilities in terms of waste water, drainage and sewage and, as part of the SWMP, the partners will be working to ensure householders are made aware of their obligations in this area.”

The county council has reminded residents they are also responsible for waste water from inside their property, drainage from their property and the private foul sewers within a property to the point they connect to the public sewer.

The council said sewers are not designed to dispel flood water. Bailing flood water into the sewer system can engulf it and cause foul water flooding.

To view the SWMP, visit http://www3.hants.gov.uk/flooding/surfacewatermanagement.htm

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Most recent user comments 9 of 9

where do you think the water comes from when it floods connaught school field ans surrounding area!

PJA
27/02/2013 at 07:00

Ive never heard of the river blackwater flooding around the tices estate as it is basically a stream at that point as I understand it. And never read of any large scale flooding in the area and until the quarrying the peat layer was acting as a giant sponge I couldn't say what the effect the quarrying has had on the area since but I understood at its inception the plan was for the area to remain lakes at the end of it.

mai
25/02/2013 at 09:34

I note that the council state that householders are aware of their responsibilities but are the council I don't think so??

PJA
25/02/2013 at 08:53

Flooding in most of aldershot is down to building homes on flood plains just like tices meadow was once, [tices Farm].

Morland road has never been built on a flood plain at all, homes in morland road were built in late 1920's making my home allmost 100 years old.

And I knw for a fact that my home has never been flooded or has my road.

Like I stated before the water problems that some in Morland road have had is due to the way they have parked their vehicles on the grass and damaged kerbing and yet council allow this, and when it rains it lands up in people gardens.

The aldershot news itself has in its back issues a photo of my daughter and her friend cycling through large amount of water in morland road , caused through so much rain coming down gloucester road and into gardens in morland road because of damage kerbs and grass verges, my daughter is now in her early twenties and our road has not flooded.

Tices meadow is another story as this is built on a flood plain in the 60's this estate does flood due to the blackwater river and when overflows the water has to go some where.

So it is about time more drainage was put in, and this is down to the council.

my mother and father also live in perowne street for many years since i was a child which is over 50 years ago, and like Dawi has stated it only floods at the bottom of this road due to either blocked drains or not enough drainage, which comes down to the council again.

They are quick enough charging use 100% council tax but not quick enough in looking after the residents of Aldershot from flooding.

So what I say to them is get their finger out and do something about it.

I am fed up of paying more in council tax and building insurance for the councils mistakes!!

PJA
25/02/2013 at 08:44

@ Dawi I remember the flooding you allude to and the effect it had at the time on some of the new homes on the gated complex at the old stables. However this was prior to their storm water pumping system becoming operational and which if memory serves me correctly discharges all excess water out into the the wellington ave. I would think all the run off water from Lime st, perowne st and alexander rd would exit through the complex as the kerbing at the closed end would force it back toward that exit. If I owned morrisons, or any other business on the new westgate centre having witnessed this very fast flowing flood water and the damage caused by it that afternoon I would be very afraid for them.

mai
24/02/2013 at 09:44

I also question some of the information on the maps. Page 6 of the .pdf file (Rowhill), shows that Hampshire County Council have recorded flooding on Queens Road between the Junction of Lime Street and Cambridge Road.

I find this rather strange; as I’ve lived close to that area for in excess of 20 years and don’t remember seeing it flooded, especially as it is the top of a hill. On the other hand, I’ve seen it flood quite a few times at the junction of Alexander Road and Perowne Street which is at the bottom of the hill (also the street drains there are I think broken and blocked due to tree roots and the council hasn’t fixed them) yet they haven’t got that marked as an area liable to flooding.

Dawi, Aldershot
23/02/2013 at 21:52

PJA you beat me to the same conclusion regarding insurance and this misinformation. HCC shows a record of reported flooding in an area where I have lived for forty years and its never flooded with surface water even after the absolute torrential rain of three or four years ago that hung over Aldershot for a couple of hours, even where the drains hadn't been cleared, surveyed for obstructions in years it never flooded the water ran off safely. It appears to me someone somewhere at HCC and Rushmoor is taking some precaution to obviate themselves of any responsibility for future flooding problems as a result of them permitting building on potential flood plains. they should perhaps start printing up records of how often drains are being serviced and allowing residents to review planned improvements to drainage in these alleged areas of flooding as they will more than likely have the local knowledge of any potential problems. As for insurance I'd carry on as before, Unless the council can prove there has been flooding in your area, if it can and there is a recurrence then they have failed in their duty to deal properly with any future problem presumably.

mai
23/02/2013 at 15:46

I also disagree with the report because it names Morland road in aldershot, and this road does not flood.

And because of the wrong information will effect my buildings insurance on wrong information.

I have lived in this area all my life and Morland road has not flooded at all.

The only problem that has happerned is where people who park on grass verges on the right hand side coming into morland road from lower farnham road, these residents have damaged the curbs and grass verges and when it rains the water comes down from Gloucester road and because their is no curb the water is going into those gardens.

Those homes have rear access to their homes but would rather park on grass verges and damage the curbs of the highstreet, this is the only reason why their has been access of water in this part of Morland road, which if the council was to stop it by putting in railings along bothsides of the road stopping people from damagaging the kerbs and grass verges so the rain can soak away naturally.

But as for flooding their has never been a problem with flooding any where near my home, and because of incorrect information from council - it will now effect my insurance on my property, maybe many of us private owners should bill the council for wrong information.

PJA
23/02/2013 at 10:17

The link to the SWWP report is incorrect, it gives a page not found error.

The correct link for the Rushmoor SWMP is - http://www3.hants.gov.uk/flooding/surfacewatermanagement.htm

Click on the tab for Rushmoor Borough Council halfway down the page.