News

Hart flooding problems to be subject of meeting

By Stephen Lloyd
March 04, 2013

FLOODING problems across Hart district will come under the spotlight during a public meeting.

The meeting, to be held at Hart District Council’s Fleet headquarters on Tuesday, March 5 will inform people about the risk of floods and what is being done to reduce it.

Hart climate change officer Carolyn Munns, who will sit on the panel, said the meeting was for all members of the public and added: “Surface water flooding is probably the greatest issue in Hart.”

Susannah Ellett from the Environment Agency will be the main speaker.

She will be joined for questions by a panel to include Hart and Rushmoor biodiversity officer Paul Howe, Hartley Wintney environmental campaigner Ruth Jarman and a speaker from the Hampshire Local Resilience Forum.

Ms Munns added: “We are aware of areas that are already frequent flooding areas and drainage measures have been or are being put in place.

“But in the event of say a month’s worth of rain in an hour, the results are far more unpredictable and areas that are not traditional flood areas could see themselves suffering.

“It may be that someone lives on a hill and feel they would never be affected but, in a period of heavy rainfall, their patio becomes flooded and seeps into their back door.”

Major flooding hot spots are still springing up across Hart district following the devastating downpours of 2007, which claimed 13 lives and devastated parts of the UK.

Areas more recently affected include Avondale Road, Albany Road, Kenilworth Road, Brookly Gardens, Wood Lane and Tavistock Road in Fleet.

Hart district councillors have also called for work to improve flooding problems in The Borough and Pankridge Street in Crondall.

Officers have also investigated reports of flooding along ditches around Calthorpe Park School in Hitches Lane, Fleet. Flooding problems have also been reported in Hares Lane, Hartley Wintney and Holt Lane, Pantile Drive and Bow Field in Hook.

There has also been surface water and sewage flooding to homes in Kingsway, Rosemary Lane and Sandhurst Lane in Blackwater, while homes and gardens have also been flooded in Bracknell Lane, Priory Lane and Phoenix Terrace in Hartley Wintney.

Parts of Yateley experienced heavy flooding over the recent Christmas period. Frogmore Green, Yateley Common and Weybridge Mead were among the areas most affected but some troubled homeowners were confused about who to contact so ended up ringing their local councillors in frustration.

Hart District Council makes sandbags available to help residents protect their homes from flooding but advises people at the most risk to get supplies from a builders’ merchant so they are prepared.

The council holds regular meetings with Thames Water to discuss flooding issues across the district. Home emergency information packs will be launched at Tuesday’s public meeting.

People will be able to fill in essential details such as their insurance company and local neighbours’ information which can be saved on their computer and easily accessed if they have to leave their home in any emergency, not just in case of flooding.

Councillor Jonathan Glen, Hart’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “We take flooding very seriously and it’s a priority issue in Hart.

“We are working with all our partners to anticipate possible problems.”

The meeting, in Harlington Way, Fleet, will run from 7pm to 9pm.

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Most recent user comments 3 of 3

Flooding as very little to do with new buildings and developments. Newly built areas like Crookham Park, Elvetham Heath, Edenbrook and St Marys Park all have surface water controls, soak-aways and porous road treatments. They do not add to rain water in the sewer systems. Most of the areas that are in the news are always old-built areas where planning was minimal or non-exsistant.

Pond-life, Fleet
06/03/2013 at 14:06

Rain falls, floods happen. Over time flood plains are created which are the natural overspill areas - nice and flat spo developers get permission to build on them - result the houses flood. Building more houses affects the ability for surface water to drain away. Areas that have never been flooded suddenly flood because the water has to go somewhere - it can't drain away where it used to so.... bingo!

Stopping building will prevent new areas from becoming prone to flooding but the areas that have started to flood will continue so to do.

MarkofHants, Fleet
05/03/2013 at 09:24

The solution to this problem is simple...

Build a water wheel and pump (nothing fancy or costly) driven by the flood. Carve out an area to catch the problem water. The water wheel pump can then move the possible ground water to further down river.

Simple cheap solution. You can pay me £1,000,000 later :-)