Flood defences get a £70k boost

More than £70,000 is set to be spent improving flood defences at a mobile home site near Dudley, it was revealed today.

Parts of Hinksford Mobile Home Park, near Swindon, have been submerged several times over the last 10 years after the bordering Smestow Brook overflowed, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to gardens and property.

Now a 338m stretch of the brook’s banking will be upgraded to protect against erosion and further flooding if South Staffordshire District Council, which owns the land, gives the go ahead.

Recommending the scheme, Councillor Roy Wright, deputy leader for direct services, said: “Although the site has suffered flooding issues sporadically over many years, the number of occasions when this occurs has increased in the last several years.

“Connected to this, the water flow and dynamics of the brook course has increased substantially with the resultant effect of erosion to parts of the bank.”

He added the proposed improvements, which follow a series of detailed river surveys to assess the scale of the problem, would take place over two stages.

The first, in which interweaved willow rods will be used to strengthen the bank, is expected to start early in the new year and be completed by March. The second, where steel sheet piling will be installed at the worst affected parts, will begin in October.

It would offer protection for the 100 home park for years to come. The site was at the centre of controversy last year when residents successfully fought plans to build a massive quarry at nearby Mile Flat.

FG Davies, the firm behind the proposals, pulled out saying the project had become financially unviable.

A final decision on if to push ahead with the flood defence scheme will be made at a meeting of the council’s executive on Tuesday.

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