‘Flood measures are just not working’
SERIOUS flooding is continuing to hit houses next to a new development. And residents of the Moorlands estate, in Scholes, say promised flood prevention measures are not working.
Edinburgh-based developer Miller Homes began work last year on a 39-home scheme off Cross Lane.
Since then properties on the neighbouring estate have been affected several times.
They say the situation is compounded by not being able to contact Miller Homes when flooding occurs, and by the company’s slowness to act.
Former textile worker Hazel Stead, 70, whose property has been flooded NINE times since February 2018, said: “I’ve had a year of this. It’s getting worse.
“I have lived in this house for 40 years. I have cried over what’s happened. It’s making me poorly.”
Following last weekend’s torrential rain Mrs Stead and her neighbours found their gardens inundated by water flooding in from the adjacent building site despite the presence of bunds – embankments to control the flow of water – and soakaways.
Unable to get through to Miller Homes’ hotline, they called local councillors Donald Firth and Ken Sims.
Clr Firth, an outspoken critic of the decision to allow building, said Miller Homes’ response was poor.
“The area suffers every time we get a lot of rain,” he said. “Soakaways are no good. When it rains they can fill up within 24 hours.
“That site is at the top of the water table. When the first sod was taken off that land the water came up just like taking the cork off a champagne bottle.
“It took me two hours to get through to anybody from Miller Homes. When they did send someone out they started pumping the water away. But then they stopped and the flooding continued.”
Miller Homes did not respond to a request to comment.