Kentish Express Ashford & District
Builders return to find site flooded
A town centre building site was a victim of Bank Holiday Monday’s torrential rain.
Contractors working on the recently-named Bakers Court, in North Street, discovered the boarding surrounding the development had fallen into a flooded trench when they arrived at work on Tuesday.
A platform which will become an underground car park has also been left under a layer of water.
S i t e mana g e r Ke v i n Schofield, from Durkan, said: “We got absolutely flooded.
“It was a bit of a shock when we came into work on Tuesday. We had a trench filled with water.
“We’re building an undercroft for parking, and this is now under two inches of water.
“Our drainage system hasn’t been hooked up yet. We need to get it pumped.
“I’ve been here since December and I’ve never seen flooding like it.
“One section of boarding had also slipped into the trench. This will be re-installed next week.”
Metal fencing has now been secured around the section where the boarding was damaged, on the corner of Hardinge Road.
Ashdown Court, as the site has been known since 1976, was demolished in January to make way for the new development.
The project is expected to be complete in summer 2015 and will comprise two three-bedroom houses, 20 two-bedroom apartments and five one bedroom apartments.
On Tuesday, a flood alert was issued for parts of Ashford from the Environment Agency. Risk areas included the River Stour from Charing Heath to the A2070 in Ashford, communities on the East Stour, the Whitewater and Ruckinge Dykes and the Aylesford Stream.
The car park of the Gallagher Retail Park, off Norman Road, was also partially flooded.