Newbury's £2m flood alleviation scheme set for May completion

The Environment Agency (EA) confirmed last week work was due to start in Victoria Park in mid January, to raise the kerb on the canal towpath, along with topsoil striping at Bewicks Reach, erection of flood walls at Swan Court and Cygnet Court, with a platform to be built at Northcroft Lane, in preparation for piling the bank edge.
Since contractors started work on the scheme on October 29 last year - following a delay of several months, due to design changes - completed work includes: Swan Court (new steps/drainage), Northcroft Park (fencing, topsoil striping), Cygnet Court and Swan Court (property surveys), Northcroft Lane (BT pole installed to divert telephone line during the work)) and with tree works mostly completed.
Construction work is due to be completed in May, followed by further, landscaping work.
Last year, Bill Fisher, vice-president and a trustee of The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, said the scheme would shunt the problem further along the canal and create flooding in Newbury far worse than Newbury’s worst flood, in 1947.
Flood alerts remained in force this week, following snowfall in the area and on three local rivers - the rivers Kennet, Lambourn and Pang.
These included the River Lambourn down to Newbury and River Kennet down to Newbury, also the River Pang from East Ilsley to Pangbourne.
For more information/to sign up for free flood alerts, visit www.environmentagency.gov.uk.