Seven-year wait for Shaw flood defences over

The scheme involves building a protective bund – an earth embankment – to the north of Shaw cemetery, which will take about 12 weeks to complete.
The project is being funded by the district council and the Environment Agency and is primarily designed to help prevent a repeat of the flooding which hit properties in Cromwell Road and Wellington Close earlier this year and in 2007.
Twenty-two homes in Wellington Close and 37 in Cromwell Road flooded in 2007. In February this year, two houses in Cromwell Road and six in Wellington Close flooded, when the River Lambourn burst its banks following weeks of heavy rainfall.
A major incident was declared in West Berkshire and as a result, army servicemen – who were based at the Newbury Weekly News’ offices in Faraday Road – were deployed to help residents in Shaw.
Wellington Close resident Peter Stevens was forced to evacuate his home and lived with friends and relatives, before being moved into temporary accommodation.
He has only just been able to put his carpets and furniture back into his home.
Mr Stevens said: “I am pleased something is finally being done but incredibly frustrated it has taken seven years.
“Being flooded is like your worst nightmare. It is not just the fact that your house is ruined, it’s the stress and general upheaval that goes with it as well. It affects your whole life.
“I just hope this flood defence will work.”
West Berkshire Council said that the scheme will retain surface water run-off from the fields above the cemetery and release it at a controlled rate into the existing drainage system in Cromwell Road.
In February, the Newbury Weekly News reported that the council wanted to build a flood defence to protect Shaw cemetery and nearby houses three years ago, but were unable to do so owing to objections by some residents and issues with land ownership.
The severe weather at the beginning of this year saw the cemetery flood and it had to be closed for two days because of trees being brought down by the high winds.
Speaking about the new flood defence, the executive member for highways, Pamela Bale, said: “This is very good news. The bund will specifically provide defence for the properties around the cemetery, which has been prone to flooding."
Work has also started on a similar scheme in Cold Ash Hill.