Flood relief scheme 'years away'

8:38am Tuesday 28th November 2006

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VICTIMS of flooding in Oxfordshire will have to stick with the sandbags for a few more years - as a proposed £100m flood relief channel is still at least a decade away.

Despite the prospect of more flooding, with more heavy rain forecast for Oxfordshire today, the Environment Agency could offer little hope to residents who rely on sandbags to protect their homes from floodwater.

Thousands of homes in the county are at risk from flooding and one solution to the problem in Oxford is a 25-metre wide flood channel running from the Thames at Binsey to Sandford Lock.

However, Government approval for the scheme may not be sought until next year, with a planning application not due until 2008.

With the plans likely to have to go to a public inquiry, construction would be unlikely to begin before 2015. Dave Ferguson, from the Environment Agency, said: "We are still looking at the details of this flood alleviation scheme for Oxford.

"It's in the pipeline at the moment and would not come into place for a number of years. It is one of a number of options we are exploring."

During the weekend, heavy rain led to many rivers bursting their banks, with fields and farmland ending up under water.

Floods trapped one family in Shipton-under-Wychwood in their own home after their garden flooded on Saturday.

Anthony Hannington, who lives in Little Brook Meadows with wife Jill and their two sons, said: "On Saturday, at about 4.30am, we were woken by the sound of gushing water.

"We came downstairs and although the water wasn't in the house, we couldn't get out."I have never seen anything like it in 14 years of living here."

The family have had to take up carpets in the sitting and dining rooms after they became waterlogged and items from the garage will have to be thrown out.

Fields around Marston Ferry Road in Oxford were under water yesterday and in Kidlington, the spectre of flooding returned for residents living in the Cherwell Drive area.

Houses there were badly affected in 1998, when the river burst its banks and left the road inches deep in water.

Cherwell District Council installed flood defences shortly afterwards, but residents say they still suffer from overflowing drains every time it rains.

Brenda Williams, whose house is at one of the lowest points in the street, has sandbags in place permanently and regularly has to sweep away water that runs down to her front door.

She said yesterday: "Now the fields have flooded nearby we don't know if the river will burst its banks or not. It will be a real test for the flood defences. We're all frightened of the floods."