Concerns over flooding in West Winch in light of new homes plans

Residents have expressed concerns over flooding in a West Norfolk village in light of plans for hundreds of homes.

Chapel Lane in West Winch had lots of surface water at the junction with the A10 after heavy rain on Monday evening.

Back Lane was also affected, where houses have been flooded in the past.

With an outline application of up to 1,100 homes on land west of Constitution Hill in the West Winch area, the East of Ouse Polver and Nar Internal Drainage Board is concerned there is no trace to the Puny Drain for surface water to run off.

The board has requested to review the design after the Lead Local Flood Authority lifted a flood objection dating back to 2013.

Fears have been expressed the Hopkins Homes development will be built before a relief road. This has been highlighted in light of a possible 500 home application also being granted off the A10.

Drainage issues have been voiced by West Norfolk’s county councillor Alex Kemp, as well as the drainage board and Anglian Water.

And a West Winch resident said: “If the 500 proposed homes go ahead in the village centre on higher, mostly clay land, no prizes for guessing where the run-off will go without suitable drainage.”

Ms Kemp has written to Tom McCabe, head of paid services and executive directors at Norfolk County Council asking when the Chapel Lane drainage scheme is going ahead.

She said: "I have spoken to Highways. They had a meeting this morning [Friday] about West Winch, and are about to sign off the designs and agree a date with the contractor, so the Chapel Lane drainage scheme can be installed before Christmas.

"This is extremely important. I am pleased the scheme is now shovel ready.

"Clearing the storage chamber only stopped the flooding for three months. A whole new scheme with more capacity is urgently needed.

"The new Chapel Lane Drainage scheme will put in underground attenuation water crates to hold the water, until it can disperse under the A10 to let the outflow drain away into the private ditch.

"This should stop the problem of standing water on the A10 on the Chapel Lane junction, during extreme surface water events and flash floods, and put an end to residents having to drive out onto the A10 through a lake of water.

"Making this major junction onto the major route network safe from flooding is a top priority for for West Winch."