I write regarding the North Heybridge flood elevation scheme compromise.
The traditional drainage route to the river from the at-risk area of Heybridge is twofold.
First there is a ditch adjacent to Holloway Road travelling under the canal and flowing into the original River Blackwater which runs alongside Hall Road before discharging into Heybridge Creek.
Unfortunately, this disgracefully neglected once free flowing water course has long since silted up and hasn’t been cleaned or had any maintenance in the 50 years I have lived here.
The extra housing proposed will only make the already bad situation worse come the next wet period.
The other drainage source is the ditch that flows around the Roothings out under the old Bentals factory, alongside the old school before reaching the river. This too is in dire need of dredging.
Now if the Environmental Agency is reluctant to adopt the proposed scheme, presuming there was a practical one, then surely, it is responsible for the upkeep of the existing water courses.
Just cutting back the overgrown vegetation choking the ditches would help, as its usual excuse for not doing anything substantial for the streams it is responsible for is “lack of funds” or “no properties actually get damaged by flood water”.
Or maybe somebody who really cares can get all the interested parties together, along with the developer who will undoubtedly make a substantial profit from the site and could contribute to the upgrading of these water courses with the Environment Agency.
After all it has the plant and manpower on tap so to speak and I doubt they are short of a bob or two.
Maldon District Council can contribute as well with the £7.3 million it has in the kitty and use that money to maintain the water courses on a regular basis, something it should have done with the sadly defunct marine lake on the prom which to the best of my knowledge never had the upkeep and care it deserved.
Then maybe the let-down residents who undoubtedly will be affected when the rains do come again just might believe their local council is fighting their corner.
I doubt this is the perfect solution but sadly I haven’t heard of a better one from the relevant parties concerned with this ongoing fiasco.
Robbie Green
Fambridge Road, Maldon
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