South Hinksey could have a permanent flood bund in place by the end of 2025 if the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme gets the go ahead in the coming months. The Environment Agency has said the permanent bund would be ‘upfront in the build programme’, so if spades went in the ground this year South Hinksey would start to benefit immediately.

Adrian Porter of OFA, who lives in the village, said. ‘By winter 2025 we’d likely be protected. With a bit of good luck later this year, this really could be our last flood.’

Demountable barriers are currently in place in South Hinksey because of the high floodwater levels. It is the second time this year the defences have been deployed. In January the barriers went up too late to stop some property flooding, so this time the EA have acted quickly to have equipment in place in case it’s needed.

The deployment of temporary defences, Adrian says, has become ‘depressingly normal’. There was a barrier deployment in 2021, a near deployment in 2022, and now two deployments in 2024.  

‘Each time the disruption for the community is significant,’ Adrian explains, ‘with the farm yard and car-park occupied, horses displaced, gardens churned up and rotas of people to keep an eye on things overnight as the EA don’t have the staff to do it themselves.’

The decision to deploy is made by an over-stretched agency with input from advisors, flood modelling data, on-the-ground photographs and other ground-truthing evidence. It is inevitably a balance of strategy, finance, operations and infrastructure. In January the EA got the timing wrong, an awful 48 hours ensued and several properties flooded as a result.

This is totally avoidable. OFAS, which is awaiting planning consent, would mean the village wouldn’t need to rely on the vagaries of human decision-making and temporary barriers. Protection would be there every day of every year.  

‘We are a beautifully diverse community of young and old,’ Adrian says, ‘who thrive despite the lack of pub and shop. We work so hard to make this the perfect place for children to grow up and for everyone to enjoy, but with flooding an ever-present threat it is hard to feel completely safe. There is a solution. Let’s get on and deliver the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme.’

The Oxford Mail picked up on this story. You can read their version online here.