10th March 2010

WEYMOUTH: Six feet of floodwater!

By Harry Walton

PERMISSION for a £1.1 million flood defence scheme has been deferred after horrified councillors were told it would leave one householder facing floodwater over his head.

The scheme to contain the River Jordan will protect 27 homes in the Fisherbridge Road, Mill Lane and Bridge Lane areas of Sutton Poyntz near Weymouth.

But councillors heard from retired scientist David Penny that the work would cause more flooding at his Mill Springs home not less.

Stunned committee members refused to deal with the scheme when the Environment Agency project was outlined at a meeting of Weymouth and Portland’s planning committee.

Instead they unanimously voted to defer a decision to allow time for more talks between the agency and Mr Penny to try and agree a solution to the problem. The scheme and the result of the talks are due back before planners in three weeks time.

A delighted Mr Penny said at his home: “I am very pleased and I will be talking with the agency to try and get their scheme altered so it doesn’t threaten my garden with more than six feet of floodwater.

“The committee was quite rightly concerned. We could have had water over our heads if they hadn’t deferred it.”

His wife, Chris said: “When we saw the scheme we realised we would need lifejackets rather than boots to go in our garden. At least now the scheme can be changed.”

The couple still face losing ten laurel trees and a poplar for the works which propose building a defence wall to protect their home from flooding.

Agency project manager Phil Barlow, who said he hoped talks could resolve the problem, had earlier told the meeting that he appreciated not everyone would like the scheme and that pleasing everyone was a difficult task but it was “a rare opportunity to build this scheme”

Councillor Geoff Petherick voiced members concerns when he said: “I am absolutely horrified by what Mr Penny might be facing. It is unacceptable.”