A Nottinghamshire village which has seen devastating flooding for decades looks set to get a huge new environmental defence plan. The Environment Agency plans to construct a flood storage reservoir to better protect Lowdham.
The proposals, which have been submitted to Newark and Sherwood District Council, also include television cameras to monitor water flow into the reservoir. The proposed development site will cover 21.8 hectares of land in Hunters Hill Farm in Lambley Road.
The Cocker Beck, which flows into the River Trent, is known as the main cause of flooding in Lowdham on “six notable occasions within recent history” from 1999 to 2020. Councillor Tim Wendels (Conservative) said flooding has been “devastating for Lowdham over the years”.
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The last episode of bad flooding was in 2020. He said: “I was flooded in 1999 so it’s been a long ongoing issue. I remember carrying my baby to safety with a metre of water in the house.
“I moved house and as almost flooded again when over 100 properties were affected. It gets to the point where you see heavy rain and you dread the flooding, it’s not good for your mental health because it is a constant worry.
“Lowdham is in desperate need of a major flood prevention scheme so I’m absolutely delighted the environment agency is moving ahead with a scheme to protect it. It’s fantastic and a big relief for those in flooding areas.”
Documents with the plans added: “In recent years the village of Lowdham has seen repeated property flooding occurring in 1999, 2007, 2013, 2019 and in 2020. Lowdham is a frequently flooded community where some residents and local business have been unable to recover between flood incidents. Repeated flooding in Lowdham has led to an overall lower quality of life for residents and business owners.”
Newark and Sherwood District Council will meet to consider the plans at a date yet to be determined.
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