Experts see flood defences

9:05am Friday 5th October 2007

Comments (0)   Have your say »

Work on the long-awaited Ross-on- Wye flood alleviation scheme has begun - and some of the key players in securing the £7 million project have been to check on its progress.

Herefordshire Councillor Brian Wilcox visited the site of the Ross scheme which will protect areas around Greytree Road, Brook End Street,Millpond Street and the Broadmeadows Industrial Estate from flooding by the Rudhall and Chatterley brooks.

The cabinet member for highwayswas joined by Herefordshire Council's construction projects team leader Martin Jackson, who discussed the engineering works being carried out by contractor Nuttell.

The group was also joined by engineer Ken Henderson from Morgan Est, whose expert opinion was sought over the design of the 350-metre long tunnel in the project as he spent three years working on the Channel Tunnel.

The scheme, funded by Defra, will increase the amount of water that can flow through the watercourses. Excess water from the two brooks will be diverted away from the Greytree Road culvert into the tunnel which is being built between Kings Acre and Homs Road car parks. Further excess water will also be stored by a 1.7 metre high earth bund east of the A40.

The project is the result of discussions in December 2000 when the town centre was hit by serious flooding and was developed in close consultation with local businesses and interests.