Experts to help solve flooding nightmare
STOCKPORT council is bringing in outside help to figure out why parts of the borough keep being flooded - three months after first announcing a review.
Over the summer, homes and businesses across Stockport were left under feet of water, with Bramhall, Cheadle, Woodley, Romiley and Bredbury among some of the worst-hit areas.
The authority has now named the consultancy firm that will carry out an independent probe into July and August’s flooding.
The review was first announced back in August and in the meantime, some areas have come perilously close to being flooded again, following more heavy rainfall.
In late October, parts of Bramhall Green roundabout were once again left underwater, albeit to a lesser extent than the deluge it experienced over the summer. The area was one of the most severely affected parts of the borough, and was previously flooded out in 2016.
An investigation into the repeated flooding of the A555 airport relief road meanwhile, is being carried out separately. This investigation will focus on flooding that affected homes and businesses.
Consultancy firm Mott MacDonald will look at how and why the flooding happened and recommend what should be done to help stop a repeat in future.
The firm will also look at what was learned following the 2016 flooding and prove the actions that were taken at the time. It has been tasked with ploughing through information supplied to the council by residents and businesses following this summer’s deluge.
The consultants will also be meeting with residents at a series of public meetings, which will be held in January. The dates will be announced nearer the time.
Lib Dem leader Coun Mark Hunter said the A555 has flooded too many times for anybody to be confident that the council has the technical ability to solve the issue. He said: “I think we need to get independent experts in and I’m fully supportive of the decision. We need to get to the bottom of it. The road has been a massive benefit to the area and a lot of traffic taken off residential roads. It’s no use to man nor beast if it’s closed because of flooding.”
Conservative group leader Coun Mike Hurleston said he supported the council putting the probe in the hands of consultants.
He said: “I think it’s right that it’s an independent report rather than the council marking its own homework, as it were.
“As regards the A555 it’s three or four times in the last 12 months. Enough is enough.
“As regards the more general flooding investigation we need to find out what’s causing it and identify the problem.
“I appreciate it’s not all down to the council; there is the Environment Agency and other stakeholders, but the council need to be on top of this and be proactive, rather than simply reacting to events.”