28/04/2005 - Work has
now started on the Environment Agency’s £1000,000
scheme at Sedgeberrow to help reduce the risk
of flooding from the River Isbourne.
The major element of the work, to replace
the Cheltenham Road Bridge at Sedgeberrow
with a larger span bridge, started on 4 April
2005. The new bridge is needed because high
river flows cannot get through the existing
bridge opening and water backs up, causing
flooding in the village. Around 40 houses
were flooded in Easter 1998.
As well as replacing the bridge, the existing
flood defence at the back of Winchcombe Road
will also be raised as part of the scheme,
which should protect properties in the village
from a flood which has a 1% chance of occurring
in any given year (the 1 in 100 year flood).
This flood affects around 63 properties in
the village. The scheme will take many properties
out of the insurance industry’s significant
risk category where the chance of flooding
each year is greater than 1.3% (1 in 75).
Jo Martin, Flood Defence Improvements Engineer
says "We are delighted that a scheme
is going ahead at Sedgeberrow which will relieve
the misery of river flooding for residents.
Replacement of the bridge in combination with
raising of existing defences was the only
option that we could take forward out of a
number of options that have been considered.
The new bridge will have a 14 metre clear
span, which will more than double the existing
area available for water flow.
"The majority of the bridge will be
brick-clad to minimise the visual effect of
a modern structure. There are a number of
services which will need to be diverted temporarily
whilst the bridge is being replaced and this
has cost the scheme in the region of £100,000.
We are also carrying out environmental enhancements
as part of the scheme. The work will be monitored
by an archaeologist as the crossing has been
identified as a fording point in Anglo Saxon
times".
This scheme is significant locally but does
not qualify for central government funding.
It is among the first in the Environment Agency’s
Midland Region to be funded primarily through
money raised by the Regional Flood Defence
Committee (RFDC). This money is raised through
a levy on local authorities, which is set
each year by the RFDC. A sizeable financial
contribution of around £100,000 has
been pledged by Worcestershire County Council,
owners of the bridge, in support of this community
initiative.
The Lower Severn Area Flood Risk Manager,
Anthony Perry says "We would like to
thank the community for their support for
the scheme and ask for their forbearance in
respect of the inconvenience caused while
the works are being carried out. As the bridge
works involve diversion of a number of services,
as well as demolishing and building a new
bridge, it is necessary to close the road
in the vicinity to both traffic and pedestrians
for the entire construction period. This is
needed in the interests of public safety.
Closure has been carried out with the approval
of the Highway Authorities and is likely to
be for six months during the spring and summer
2005.We will try to re-open the road sooner
if we possibly can."
