Flood prevention schemes across West Sussex awarded £175,000 funding

West Sussex County Council is to hand out almost £175,000 to 11 projects as part of its Operation Watershed anti-flooding scheme.
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The applications from projects all over the county, have been approved by Roger Elkins, cabinet member for highways and infrastructure.

Operation Watershed was launched after the county was swamped by floods in 2012/13. Since then it has funded more than 360 projects to the tune of over £3m.

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This latest batch includes more than £29,000 for Albourne Parish Council for ditch and gully work on Henfield Road, near Oak Vale Cottages, which is prone to flooding.

There will be £10,200 for Pulborough Parish Council to clear a blocked culvert which runs under a public footpath between New Place Road and the cricket ground.

In its application, the parish said that during heavy rain the footpath became ‘unpassable’.

Rusper Parish Council will receive almost £7,000 to improve the ditches running along Hillybarn Road to Ifield Wood.

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The parish said water flooded across the road during heavy rain, causing ‘a high risk to motorists and other road users’.

And there will be £8,388 for Tangmere Parish Council to replace a rubble-filled soakaway at the junction of Cheshire Crescent and Mannock Road.

Until April 2018, funding for Operation Watershed came from the revenue budget. Because of the scale and nature of some of the projects, it is now part of the capital programme.

One application, however – from Loxwood Parish Council – did not meet the criteria for capital funding. Given the importance of the project, the council agreed to provide money from the revenue reserve.

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Flooding from Loxwood Stream has caused major problems in the past. As well as having to wade through surface water, villagers have seen sewerage pipes flooded, causing an unpleasant back-up of waste into their homes.

The parish council’s application for £25,725 will pay for a flood alleviation options appraisal and will look at the potential impact of work proposed by the Environment Agency.

This includes improving the culverts under Guildford Road and Station Road, and building an upstream flood storage area next to North Hall.

Other successful applications:

Birdham Parish Council,  £28,705.32 for construction of new culvert and pipe along the ditchline between Six Pennies Cottage and Robins Nest.

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Amberley Parish Council, £6,596 for highway gullies and ditch re-profiling work in  School Road.

The Willowbrook Flood Action Group, Middleton-on-Sea, £28,500 for flood alleviation work, including concrete bag work to stabilise the bank of the pond.

East Ashling Association/Funtington Parish Council, £13,443.29 to install highway soakaway and gullies in Sandy Lane.

Fulking Parish Council, £13,529.03 to install new piped culverts and ditch work in Clappers Lane to increase capacity and allow surface water to drain.

Chidham & Hambrook Parish Council,  £3,488.40 for a highway drainage scheme in Cot Lane, Chidham.