Flood Plain Reprieve For Roding Residents As Agency Puts Project On Hold

Proposals to create a flood storage area on the River Roding in Stanford Rivers have been postponed by the Environment Agency.

There had been strong objections to the plan from local residents who feared the proposal, to alleviate flooding downstream in the Woodford area, would lead to an increase of instances of flooding in Stanford Rivers.

The Environment Agency said a shortage of available funding meant the plan would be put on hold for at least 10 years.

It added that while it accepted the creation of the flood storage area would cause considerable difficulties for the properties at 157 and 159 London Road, it would not be built at all if there was evidence that additional properties would be affected.

River Maintenance

However, the agency did confirm that it was stopping maintenance work on the river, such as clearing blockages and silt, because it no longer could afford it. Responsibility for this work will now fall on the owners of the land alongside the Roding.

There are concerns that this move alone will lead to increased flooding risk, particularly in the tributaries such as Stanford Hall Brook, which regularly overflows across London Road at Bridge Farm.

Parish Councillor Ron Haydon, who has been leading the campaign against the decision, said: “Any blockages on the Roding will slow the flow which will lead the tributaries to back up and the damage this could cause has not been taken into consideration.” Flood simulation model.

In response the Environment Agency said it had started working on new computer modelling to emulate the effect of flooding on the Roding’s tributaries and this now included Stanford Hall Brook.

In a statement, the agency added: ”To enable us to fully understand the issues on the brook and to make the appropriate response, it is important that we have the results of the new model available to us. Only at that point will we be able to provide further information to you on the current flood risk in your parish."

The new model will be complete in May 2012. However, any flood risk caused by the condition of Stanford Hall Brook is currently and will continue to be the responsibility of the Riparian Owners.”

The withdrawal of maintenance along the Roding north of the M25 is expected to save in the region of £150,000 per annum.