Flood work passes test

Cannock's new £4.5 million flood defences faced their first test after the weekend's storms and managed to keep residents homes safe.

It is hoped that work to improve flood protection from the bulging Ridings Brook for properties that lie within the floodplain downstream of Mill Green, in Cannock, Hednesford and eastern Cannock will end years of worry.

Project manager Roger Prestwood said: "Although the Ridings Brook is quite a small river, from now on our new defences will protect up to 88 homes and 54 businesses from the misery of flooding."

Most properties are now protected against a one-in-100 year event and even the most vulnerable properties will not begin to flood until a 1-in-50 year event.

The dam at Mill Green Balancing Pond has been raised by 1.9 metres and an automated control structure houses equipment to control water levels.

A flood relief channel and culvert, built under the A5 trunk road, will help to clear water away from this area during a flood. Improvements to the environment, such as additional trees and landscaping to encourage wildlife, have been included.

A 1-1.5 metres high flood wall runs behind properties on the north side of Rumer Hill Road. New walls each side of the brook upstream of Rumer Hill Road protect properties on both sides.

Further walls on both sides of the brook south of Rumer Hill Road protect more properties.

By Kate Hughes