£11million flood defences for Godmanchester

Hunts Post (UK): Flood defences are to be built in Godmanchester at a cost of £11million. The Environment Agency (EA) announced this week that it has secured funding for the scheme, which involves a combination of flood walls and embankments.

The defences will run 1.5km alongside the River Great Ouse from close to the A14, through private residential gardens and along the Causeway, finishing in the West Street area opposite Farm Hall. The EA said the project, originally expected to cost £6m, will reduce the annual flood risk to 500 houses and businesses from 5 per cent to 1 per cent.

Geoff Brightly, the EA area manager, said: "While Godmanchester has not flooded in recent years the effects of climate change mean that the risk of it happening in future would be more likely, and we are keen to act now to protect people and properties."

…The original proposals sparked a debate on The Hunts Post's letters pages after some residents complained the changes would damage the character of the Causeway. Nigel Pauley, a journalist who lives in Almond Close, said yesterday (Tuesday): "I fear that instead of the very nice view, we are going to end up with a view of the church spire poking up from behind a 'Berlin "Wall'."

"My dad was born in the 1930s and has always lived in the area. He has no knowledge of the Causeway having been breached aside from 1947. "The recent flooding has come from surface water where the gutters have been blocked."

Cllr David Brown, Mayor of Godmanchester, said: "People know the town and they don't want it to change. I understand that, but the thing that sticks in my mind is the 500 houses at risk. "Flood defences can be done tastefully. It has been done in St Ives and I think it is roundly agreed by everyone that it looks pleasant."…

River Ouse at Godmanchester, shot by Toby Speight, Wikimedia Commons via the Geograph Project, under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license