Burstow Meets Minister to Thrash out Solution to Worcester Park Flooding

9.47.27am GMT Mon 8th Feb 2010

Local Liberal Democrat MP, Paul Burstow, met with Environment Minister Huw Irranca-Davies and officials from the Environment Agency on Thursday (4th Feb 2010) to press for action to protect residents in Green Lane, Worcester Park from the risk of flooding. The MP called the meeting after news that a scheme drawn up by the Environment Agency to alleviate the flood risk had been abandoned on cost grounds.

Forty five homes in Green Lane were flooded in 2007 when the Beverley Brook burst its banks. Flood records dating back to the 1960 record two other major floods in 1968 and 1981. In response to the 2007 flood the Environment Agency carried out a study and designed a flood alleviation scheme. The initial estimates put the cost of the scheme at £750,000. The cost of the scheme escalated to over £2.1 million causing it to fall foul of the Environment Agencies cost/benefit rules.

Actions agreed-upon at the meeting:

The Environment Agency will provide Paul Burstow MP with a more detailed breakdown of how the cost escalated to £2.1 million

The Environment Agency will assist London Borough of Sutton with technical support in the development of a lower cost scheme, which may include flood storage further up the Beverley Brook.

This will inform an application that is to be submitted to the Regional Flood Defence Committee.

The Environment Agency will undertake observation along the Green Lane stretch of the Beverley Brook and enforcement action if necessary to ensure open land such as the Cricket Ground are available as flood storage

The Environment Agency will help London Borough of Sutton to prepare a resilience fund bid.

There will be a meeting again in March.

Commenting after the meeting Paul Burstow MP, said, "The meeting was constructive. But it is two and half years since the last major flood and residents are getting fed up waiting. The fact that the Environment Agency has now agreed to work with Sutton Council is good news. I hope we can see a low cost solution that will offer residents the protection they want."