Properties flooded as Datchet suffers again
River Thames reaches its highest level since 2014 floods
The River Thames in Datchet reached its highest level this week since the devastating floods of 2014.
More than 100 properties were flooded a decade ago after the Thames burst its banks having reached a height of 5.72 metres.
The level of the River Thames was recorded as 5.57 metres at the Windsor Park measuring station in Datchet on Monday evening.
Before the flood waters began to recede, Datchet, Horton and Wraysbury councillor Ewan Larcombe (Independent, National Flood Prevention Party) said: “If we reach the 2014 levels it will be the same as last time, in fact probably worse due to all the development that has taken place and the failure to maintain the land drainage infrastructure.”
He also hit out at the previous Conservative administration for failing to commit the £54million required for the Royal Borough to be included in the multi-million pound River Thames flood alleviation scheme.
Back in 2020, Datchet and Wraysbury were removed from the Environment Agency’s project, which had planned to build three flood alleviation channels alongside the River Thames to protect up to 15,000 homes from flooding.
At the time, the council had not raised the funds it needed to progress with the scheme, and lobbied the government to introduce a flooding levy on council tax – without success. It instead voted to explore other flood alleviation options.
In 2021, then-council leader Andrew Johnson maintained the scheme should be funded by central Government, rather than local councils who had been ‘decimated by coronavirus’.
Cllr Larcombe added: “Channel One has been removed simply because the partnership funding contribution wasn’t made in good time.
“They had from 2015 to 2020, they didn’t sort the issue.
“I am livid and will never ever forget it.”
The new Lib Dem administration is instead exploring alternative flood defence measures between Datchet and Hythe End.
The council has pledged to spend £10million on the project, overseen by the Environment Agency.
Cllr Larcombe responded: “This could take 10 years, if it ever comes at all.”
The Datchet, Horton and Wraysbury borough councillor wrote to the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in
October voicing his anger at the cancellation of phase one of the River Thames Scheme.
On January 4, he received a response from Conservative MP Robbie Moore, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for DEFRA.
Mr Moore’s letter confirmed the Environment Agency agreed to exclude Datchet and Wraysbury from the River Thames Scheme in 2020 after Windsor and Maidenhead council failed to stump up its £54million contribution to the project.
The letter added: “I appreciate that this change to the River Thames Scheme must have been disappointing news for your ward.
“The Environment Agency has informed me that the two-channel scheme still provides flood risk reduction in RBWM.”
When the Express went to press, the level of the River Thames in Datchet stood at 4.82 metres.