Funds for Padworth flood homes

The news comes after 40 residents living in The Crescent and Oak End Way attended a flood forum last month.
Although Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and the Environment Agency said that flood alleviation works designed to control flooding of the magnitude experienced in that 1-in-200-year storm was too expensive, West Berkshire Council has secure funds from Defra to protect the homes in the area from internal flood water damage.
At the flood forum, Brian Cafferkey from Ardent Consulting Engineers said that funding had been secured to survey and produce a report for each of the affected buildings to determine which measures would be appropriate in each case.
The proposed measures could include flood guards or new sealed doors, air brick covers, non-return valves on drainage pipework and sewer connections, and the re-pointing and sealing of external brickwork walls.
West Berkshire Councillor, Geoff Mayes (Lib Dem, Mortimer), who covers Padworth, said: “In July 2007 the area suffered surface water flooding which caused considerable damage to their contents and properties along the A4 at the A340 roundabout.
“The solution is very, very expensive which is why it was discarded by Defra and the Environment Agency.
“This is a fall-back position. The roads and gardens will still flood but [Defra] is putting some money in to prevent the internal damage.”
He added: “Losing furniture, photographs and electrical goods in your property gets expensive – as people found in Thatcham.
“They were out of their homes for some time and it was very upsetting.
“It’s going to protect the houses and households from the inconvenience of flood water entering their homes.”
The work will be undertaken at no cost to the householder.
West Berkshire Council’s executive member for emergency planning, Pamela Bale (Con, Pangbourne), said: “In July 2007, this area suffered surface water flooding causing considerable damage to properties and contents.
“We are therefore delighted that our bid for property level flood prevention measures to protect homes in Lower Padworth has been successful.
“We have had a 100 per cent positive response from residents and most of the houses have already been surveyed.
“The aim is that any works approved by homeowners following the survey will be completed by Spring 2014.”