Plan for overhaul of flood defences

A major overhaul of flood defences including walls five feet high are planned along the river that runs through Sandwell and the Black Country.

The Environment Agency has published its proposals to strengthen the banks of the River Tame following the devastating floods of summer 2007 – the wettest three months since records began. The strategy plans to reduce the risk to 2,850 homes. Options being proposed as part of the £800 million national scheme include improving the storage areas and opening up culverts to divert water away.

The move would see changes to the places where flood waters are diverted and stored.

Forge Mill Lake at Sandwell Valley holds 6.1 million sq ft of water while Perry Hall Playing Fields in Perry Barr holds 1.6m sq ft.

Ocker Hill Balancing Pond can hold 204,514 sq ft and Sheepwash Balancing Ponds can hold 1.7m sq ft.

Bescot Controlled Washland holds 398,264 sq ft. The system was designed in the 1970s when there was a two per cent risk of flooding.

The Oldbury Arm, which runs from Ashes Road to Bescot Junction would have two new 5ft flood walls at Tipton Junction and the woods area at Bescot, protecting 191 homes currently at risk.

Waters in Newton and Hamstead will be diverted into the flood storage areas at Forge Mill and Perry Hall earlier when torrential rains start to reduce the risk of flooding to properties downstream.

Further walls are planned for Gravelly Hill and Bromford in Birmingham to protect 1,239 properties.

Sandwell Council's leader Councillor Bill Thomas said: "I very much welcome this investigation and document."

The consultation continues until August with further designs expected to be unveiled next year and construction is due to start in 2012.

Harry Francis, the caretaker at Wodensborough High School in Wednesbury, was cut off from his house in Hydes Road by flood waters. The 55-year-old father of two said: "This needs to be done."