FLOODING
Flooding in Staverton: A major problem
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Staverton has the worst flooding in Wiltshire. It is the only village that has flood gates on a road. Although severe flooding only occurs every few years, this is likely to get more frequent with climate change.
When the river floods and blocks the causeway, the traffic has to be diverted. There are also serious threats to travellers who ignore the rising water and attempt to drive through the floods, and there have been many who have gotten stuck and have had to be rescued by the Fire Services who operate a special boat recovery. There is a serious risk to life as the river flooding has strong currents.
In addition to the river flooding, there has been serious flooding in some of the fields of the proposed development site. The Hilperton Area Action Group is working to investigate the causes of flooding in this area.
Most of the fields in the proposed development site drain down to the Avon to the North, but there is an area where the fields drain to the West. A stream used to take the water down to the Avon, where it flowed toward Bradford. However, after a new development was built in this area, the stream was blocked off, so now the water has nowhere to go and floods the fields and some of the gardens in Staverton. In 2021 these fields were under water for 3 months.
There is no provision for flood defences in the area and a large development will only increase the flood risk, in addition to representing a real flood hazard for the new occupants of the proposed development.
Flood risks in Hilperton
Hilperton Marsh has had some instances of flooding largely when there has been construction work and there has been problems with the drains, but with the proposed development this could get a lot worse and also it is as the name suggests a wet area which drains down under the canal to the river and there will be increased run off with development which will have implications for flooding downstream and flooding in the site 5 area.
Climate Change
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The Hilperton area is likely to suffer from increased frequency of extreme events: drought and storms with heavy rain. Flash flooding may increasingly occur, which is of obvious significance to the northern part of the parish which is built over former low lying marshland.
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Therefore, the risk of flash flooding and the increased surface water run-off is an important consideration for the development of the lower lying land.
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Flooding in January 2023
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Severe flooding has occurred in January 2023, with the River Avon breaking its banks and overwhelming the surrounding fields near the ancient bridge leading from Staverton to the B3105. Pictured below are aerial shots.
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With the severity of flooding we already experience, it's impossible to imagine the impact another 2,600 homes would have on our community. The fields surrounding our village play a crucial role in soaking up rainwater - but if covered in concrete by thousands of new houses, the rainwater could run off into local roads, people's homes and gardens, causing even more issues for traffic and residents.
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