Author Archives: rawcy

Lamarsh Road scheme – almost there!

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24 November 2010

On 9 November Oxford City Central & South West Area Committee agreed to reallocate the money for “public art” that Kingerlee are contributing as part of their development, to the flood relief measures that we have been advocating in Lamarsh Road instead. The suggestion to do so came from Kingerlee (see post of 15 October) and has doubled the amount of money available for flood relief from Kingerlee. The necessary work will now be done. Kingerlee will do the work themselves while they are doing their own work anyway, so overheads will be minimised. After further discussions between Kingerlee, the City and the County, Kingerlee have instructed their engineers to prepare a scheme and hope to start work early in the New Year.
THESE ARE THE (ALMOST) FINAL DEVELOPMENTS IN A CAMPAIGN WHICH HAS OCCUPIED MUCH OF OUR EFFORT FOR THE PAST YEAR AND MORE. THE OUTCOME IS SUCCESS. Many other people, from City, County and the Environment Agency, and of course Kingerlee, have also worked very hard to achieve this result. MP Nicola Blackwood has been interested and supportive.

Meeting with senior members of the Environment Agency

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8 November 2010

Peter Rawcliffe, representing the Oxford Flood Alliance, met with David Jordan, national Director of Operations at the Environment Agency, John Russon, Head of Operations, Howard Davidson, Regional Director, and Matt Carter and Barry Russell from the local EA area, on a recent visit to Oxford. We were pleased to have such an opportunity.

A wide-ranging discussion included:

A presentation by OFA emphasising the crucial importance of improving things at Munday’s underbridge in north Kennington.

How community flood groups form and become involved (‘the Big Society’) in working with the EA on flooding. The difficulties of establishing such engagement where it does not already exist.

Attitude to risk and particularly how it relates to the Big Scheme (OFRMS) for Oxford. OFA said there was public scepticism about whether the Big Scheme would ever happen and that people would like things done now to remedy obvious deficiencies, making the most of what already exists, even though they together fall short of a 1 in 100 year standard of protection (as is inevitable).

Once such remedial measures were taken, then incremental improvements to existing watercourses, particularly widening Hinksey Stream, working up the floodplain, might be a sensible approach, rather than relying on a possible new grand Western Conveyance which might very well never materialise.

Having said all that, information gathered for the Big Scheme can inform decisions in the meantime and if climate change makes things worse it might then be implemented. We suggested that improvements now should not be put off for fear of jeopardising the value for money of the Big Scheme – because of the very real and widespread doubt as to it ever materialising (even were no improvements made in the meantime).

Annual Public Meeting of the Oxford Area Flood Partnership (OAFP)

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27 October 2010

Annual Public Meeting of the Oxford Area Flood Partnership (OAFP). (This is not OFA.)

We attended and asked about:

  • Lamarsh Road as a flood route (we presented our report – October 2010)
  • The railway track at Redbridge
  • Munday’s underbridge at Redbridge
  • Why OAFP meetings are held in camera
  • Work that we have been pushing for on Osney Island.

Continue reading →

Meetings re Lamarsh Road as a flood route

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15 October 2010

Brian Durham and Peter Rawcliffe, both of OFA, met David Coates, Planning Director of Kingerlee, at their Lamarsh Road site. We looked at the site and discussed things in the light of OFA’s report on Lamarsh Road, October 2010, which can be downloaded here.

We all three went on to meet Barry Russell and Selena Peters of the Environment Agency and Paul Kirkley of Oxford City Environmental Development.

Selena Peters presented the results of computer modelling of flood flows, now extended from 1 in 25 year flood levels to 1 in 50: even at 1 in 50, when defences are overtopped at Bullstake Close and Earl Street, the model suggests there is no further benefit to Earl or Duke Streets from relieving any dam effect at Lamarsh Road by lowering it (but see below).

Brian Durham of the Alliance spoke about the important findings described in his report, including those discovered by talking to Jewsons and the Army Surplus shop in Lamarsh Road.

Paul Kirkley (City) gave further information about various matters, including that culvert pipes from an adjacent site obstruct a drain beyond the far end of the Kingerlee site.

David Coates (Kingerlee) suggested how to move things forward, including that S106 moneys payable by Kingerlee and allocated for “art” could perhaps be made available for flood defences instead. This would be in addition to sums that Kingerlee is already contributing. OFA strongly supported this suggestion.

There is now a much better understanding of what might be useful; Brian Durham has shown that “less will be enough”, and it looks more likely to be affordable. In a nutshell, a limited lowering of about 8 cm at the south end to the west would bring significant benefit. The County have apparently agreed to do about 5 cm in an even smaller area, the hope now is to increase that.

The plan agreed at the meeting is that the EA will, with Paul Kirkley, produce specific proposals as to what is ‘required’. That they will then engage with the County road people to obtain as specific and detailed costings as are possible at this stage (unknowns e.g. services may make it less than exact).

Funding might include use of the £25,000 that Kingerlee has contributed, a similar amount (?£20K) that Rewley Press developers are putting in. The possible reallocation of the “art” funding is mentioned above.

Whether Earl and Duke Streets will be helped depends on how reliable the model proves in practice, but the proposed work in Lamarsh Road cannot make them worse. Previously flooded properties in Lamarsh Road will benefit. Kingerlee’s site, Oriel Mews and the Rewley Press residential development will benefit from improved vehicular and pedestrian access during floods.

Keith Hutchence, our new Flood Star

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25 September 2010

We have been pleased to invite Keith Hutchence, our main contact with the Environment Agency, to become our fourth Flood Star. OFA’s Flood Star awards recognise an exceptional contribution to the work of flood risk reduction in our area. Keith will be presented with the award at our Annual Public Meeting in November. We have only awarded this one Flood Star this year: Keith’s award recognises the skills and commitment he has brought to his role in keeping communications between the authorities and the community open and active, making cooperative working a reality. Such cooperation is vital in flood risk reduction. Keith’s work has been of great benefit in this respect.

Botley Road area meeting

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13 September 2010

We met with representatives of the EA, and both Oxford City and Oxfordshire County Councils last Friday, 10 September. We were shown the latest results from the computer model of flooding in the Botley Road area, developed by the EA in collaboration with City Council engineers. The effect of various interventions has been investigated.

The model suggests:
1. The existing Bullstake Close barrier, erected by the City Council to protect its properties there, will provide flood protection to properties to the south of the Botley Road at least to a 1 in 25 year flood level (the worst of the floods in recent years, in 2007, was about that level).

2. Creating a road hump at the north end of  Earl Street would protect the street from inundation (ie becoming a river) up to the same level. This will be done, by the County Council. The street will have to be closed to traffic throughout the work – the County will be consulting with residents about this. While there will inevitably be temporary inconvenience while the work is done, the benefits in flood risk reduction will be very well worth it.

3. A barrier across the alleyway in Duke Street would give further protection to Duke and Earl Streets, from floodwater coming from the Bulstake Stream behind the houses on the east side of Duke Street. The County hope to do this work, subject to discussions and agreement with the owners of the adjacent houses.

4. Floodwater would still be able to enter the rear of properties on the east of Duke Street direct from Bulstake Stream as it has in the past. – and not only flood those houses but then move on to flood people on the other side of the street and in Earl Street. This could be remedied in various ways – ranging from a permanent earth bank (bund) along the gardens of all the houses backing onto the stream, to individual house measures such as flood doors and airbrick covers, to sandbags. Please note that residents will be fully consulted about the options and that action can and will only be taken if people agree. It seems unlikely that everyone would agree to a garden barrier (and it would have to be in every garden without a break for it to work of course) even though this would give the best protection. Individual house measures on the other hand might a very different matter as they would protect the house itself first and foremost. It is possible (not certain) that money may become available to help householders buy the necessary protection. There’d need to be a community plan for placing protection if people were away or for any other reason unable to do it themselves when flooding threatened.
OFA will be working with the EA and the CIty on this. At last Friday’s meeting we suggested that maybe the EA come to our OFA annual Public Meeting – which will probably be in November – to present the options to residents and get their reactions. This isn’t decided on yet but may well happen.

5. Lowering the highest part of Lamarsh Road would not confer further benefit in a 1 in 25 year or smaller flood. Beyond that it is not clear how much benefit it might provide. The cost of lowering is now said to be £500,000. We are sceptical about that remarkably round sum: it has gone up and down like a yo-yo over the weeks – as low as £200,000 not long ago. OFA believes that there should be further consideration, that we should perhaps talk directly to Kingerlee, and that we should try to ensure that roads are built so as to allow the work to be done later even if it is not done now.

Lamarsh Road plan – urgent!

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18 August 2010

We met the EA recently about the proposal to make Lamarsh Road the route for flood water rather than Earl Street. Further modelling has been done by the EA but was not completed when we met. The modelling continues and we have asked this week for an update.
Our concern is that the model, on which decisions will be based, is completed, and a decision made, before the deadline of Kingerlee starting work on their site. Kingerlee are very cooperative but understandably have to proceed with their own work.
Our MP, Nicola Blackwood, is strongly supportive – but she too awaits a clear plan before she can make representations about funding.

We hope the EA will produce their advice in time. This has been under discussion for many months, it  is high time we had a clear opinion, advice, and a plan as appropriate, from the EA.

Reducing the Risk of Flooding of Earl and Duke Streets and Bullstake Close

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21 July 2010

The following is being circulated as a flyer to residents of Earl and Duke Streets and Bullstake Close. Links are being emailed to our supporters.

Update from the Oxford Flood Alliance (OFA) on Progress in Reducing the Risk of Flooding of Earl and Duke Streets and Bullstake Close; July 2010

It is 3 years since the severe floods of July 2007, so it seems a good moment to report on progress made since then, but also to highlight a further project that requires the most urgent and determined action. OFA has worked hard, since November 2007, to make sure things have been done and we continue to do so.

How these streets flood

Earl and Duke Streets flood by a combination of water coming up through the ground, water coming up through the drains and water which arrives over the surface. Bullstake Close floods by surface water.

What has been done

Bullstake Close:
Oxford City Council built a wall around part of Bullstake Close to protect it from surface water arriving from north of the Botley Road. DONE, 2009

Earl and Duke Streets:
the Bullstake Close barrier will hold back flood water until it is overtopped. DONE, 2009

Thames Water and Oxford City have installed special valves which, when flooding threatens, can be closed to isolate the drains in Earl and Duke Streets from other local drains, taking the pressure off them. DONE, 2009

there are permanent pumps in Earl Street, installed by Oxford City (?) to pump accumulating floodwater away into the floodplain to the south. DONE, 2004

the gullies in the street have been altered so that that all now feed into the pumps, so enabling the pumps to work more effectively. DONE, 2010

a culvert has been installed by Oxfordshire County Council at the end of Duke Street and out into the floodplain to the south. This is to provide a route out for water running down Earl Street from the Botley Road. To streamline the flow of this water the pavement has been rounded off where Earl Street connects via an alley into Duke Street. DONE, 2009

a road and pavement hump built by Oxfordshire County Council across the Botley Road end of Earl Street to stop floodwater flowing down the street (until it is overtopped). PLANNED FOR 2010

a barrier across the path leading into the southern end of Duke Street to prevent water flowing into the street from Bulstake Stream which it has done in the past. UNDER CONSIDERATION

the City Council has suggested that residents at the southern end of the east side of Duke Street might like to consider property level defences for their houses. Property level defences means floodgates for doors and sealing off airbricks. If everyone got together and did this, this would make a barrier to stop water flowing into and through these houses from Bulstake Stream. This would directly protect the individual houses and, indirectly, their neighbours. It is possible that grants may be available to help with the costs of this, though current cuts mean this is uncertain. RESIDENTS WILL DECIDE WHETHER THEY ARE INTERESTED.

last but not least, providing an alternative route for floodwater in the Botley Road to get away downstream to the south. In the past it has flowed down Earl Street like a river. The alternative route proposed is down Lamarsh Road – UNDER ACTIVE AND URGENT CONSIDERATION.

Our response to the EA on their proposals for further short-term measures for Oxford

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14 July 2010

Oxford Short Term Measures 2

Thank you for asking for comments on your proposals. Here are ours:

Willow Walk – fine.

Hinksey Stream – welcome. We hope the work will include removal of the trees which seem to be actually in the stream upstream of the bridge.

Wareham Stream – we think that it is hardly worth maintaining the stream if the sluices are not renovated. Both inlets from Castle Mill Stream are useless, and the sluice at the brewery is not operated. Therefore in a flood there is not much flow.

Other ideas
We are disappointed that other, more ambitious, options were not pursued. We believe there are many things in our document “Building on Success – Suggestions for medium-term measures to further reduce the risk of flooding in Oxford and the surrounding area” launched this March, which would be well worth doing and we look forward to discussing them with you soon.

Lamarsh Road
In the meantime, our top priority remains to achieve a new flood route via Lamarsh Road in the now very limited time available. We understand that you share this wish and are working hard at it, which we appreciate. For now we would rather achieve this than anything else, as we made plain at our meeting in South Hinksey in March. If funding is not possible in any other way then we think money should be diverted from one or other of the Short Term Measures 2. They could be done later, whereas Lamarsh can’t.
It would be dreadful to fail to implement the Lamarsh scheme. Doing so, on the other hand, would be a great success and improve the lot of many people who have been flooded repeatedly and remain at high risk.

Oxford Flood Alliance, July 13th 2010.

Earl and Duke Streets, Lamarsh Road – and the role of the County Council

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20 June 2010

The City and the Environment Agency have worked hard on the technical assessment of feasibility, which they have completed. This shows that our plan would work.

We now urgently need detailed costings of the work required to lower the southern end of Lamarsh Rd. We are looking to the County to provide these. At our meeting in South Hinksey on 24 March 2010, attended by senior representatives from all the agencies concerned, the County Council made a commitment to assess what services lie below that part of the road and to prepare detailed costings of the work that would be needed. This might include digging a test hole. So far as we can discover this has not been done in the intervening 11+ weeks. Considering the urgency, this is extremely disappointing.

We hope that this work will now be done with the utmost urgency.

Go to Library to download our Lamarsh Road proposal and how it would bring relief to the many people whose homes have suffered repeated flooding.