Storm / Flooding Update (PM 17/02)
Two flood warnings remain in Waverley: River Wey at Elstead and Eashing; River Wey at Godalming. River levels remain high and will continue to be monitored.
– Flood barriers will remain on Catteshall Road until at least Wednesday (but it will be when the EA are happy it’s safe to). So please continue to use the access from the other end of Catteshall Lane for that part of Godalming.
The barriers functioned as designed and I think without them the houses there would almost certainly have flooded.
– the allotments in that area have been under water and I’ll be seeking updates as to next steps there. Likewise borough staff will be looking to see if the existence of the barrier at Catteshall has in any way raised the flood risk further up (e.g. at the Almshouses).
I would like to take this opportunity to to thank the Town and parish council teams across the borough. WBC officers who have been managing this situation and working with the EA and SCC (it has been WBC officers keeping the councillors up to date). Lots of people dealing with fallen trees and other issues quickly and professionally too. Our WBC Comms team, resilience and sustainability managers have also been indispensable over the weekend and today (many working some silly hours in the process!)
Residents have been fantastic at getting us information about what is going on. I also want to thank the councillors I have been in contact with over the weekend, right across Waverley that have been on the phone and text to me, on social media and in general dealing with residents queries.
The Borough Council will conduct a lessons learnt excercise (standard practice). So please let me know if you have any feedback you would like to add. I have raised a few points myself (one being – why is it GBC provide sandbags when WBC does not).
Cllr Paul Follows
Deputy Leader, Waverley Borough Council
Godalming Central and Ockford Ward
Elmbridge Road in Cranleigh where Thakeham Homes fought tirelessly, with the help of Waverley planning officers, to build homes in the flood plains – and won against massive local opposition. Homes that cannot get insurance? Look at that massive moat in this video!
Watch right to the end of this (or scroll to 4min 25), as 3 cars almost collide, and cause a wave over the windscreen of the third car. Remember its hard enough to pass oncoming traffic without floods on Elmbridge Road. Idiots!
Dunsfold Road:
Broadbridge Heath Shalford: Which Guildford Borough Council intends to take out of the Green Belt – so it can build more homes.
Mill Lane Godalming (road goes toward station) Where developers want to build a Care Home – against local opposition including the Town Council.
Lower Weyburn Lane, Badshot Lea – where parking is for permit holders only!
Horsham Road, Ellens Green: Where developers are lining up to build more homes.
And finally in Catteshall, Godalming, after £5 Million flood defences installed and flood barriers erected today- nothing, nada!
*** Update*** Looks like Godalming’s flood defences have worked. They have saved the allotments!! Thanks Tim Trout for the Drone Photo
Whatever the weather – the dog must find a tree?
How ironic that a Cranleigh resident who is in fact The Mayor of Waverley was silent on the flooding issues in the borough this weekend. But found the time to comment on the tragic death of Caroline Flack! So we now know where her priorities lie?
Our MP Angela Richardson also remained silent. However our local parish council chairman was constantly updating everyone. As was Cllr Follows who cares about Cranleigh and not just his own patch. What a change.
I will send you a snapshot of Madam Mayor’s comment.
Thank you. And as far as I am concerned, I might be a Godalming councillor but as Dep Leader of the borough it’s my duty to make sure I try to keep everyone in the borough updated if I can.
You certainly managed that. Well done. We are sure it was very much appreciated.
Please stop building more houses in this area this is ridiculous
We very much doubt that will happen. Waverley Borough Council cannot demonstrate a 5 year land supply – thanks to the crash and urn brigade that was Protect Our Waverley – which had nothing whatsoever to do with protecting Waverley, but protecting the largest brownfield site in the borough, that doesn’t flood – from building much-needed homes.
We wonder how many families would have been housed there if the development of the new garden village had not been delayed by POW for years?
Now the borough is vulnerable once more and there will be even fewer fields to take floodwater.
As for the Thakeham Homes site in Elmbridge. These homes were built on land which was raised, just like the Berkeley Homes site in Cranleigh. Water will be displaced – in other words the new homes will be on an island – and the homes around them in Elmbridge Road and the Barratt Estate will then be vulnerable.
Exactly, if you use up valuable flood plain for building new homes on, then the water has to go somewhere else. So it floods the surrounding area and any existing homes. Ironically, Thakeham Homes were in Waverley Towers last week, lecturing Councillors on their sustainable homes!
No surprise there then. It was so obvious that Thakeham was Waverley Planners NBF – New Best Friend. Why otherwise would the Chief Planning Officer of the day invite them to sit around The Round Table and respond to individual councillors’ concerns when the Elmbridge Road development was consented.
Perhaps the Chairman Councillor Isherwood would like to take a boat ride down there and take a look at the mess he has helped create?
As for Thakeham – white men speak with forked tongue- to make money! Shape up Waverley Planners and start listening to your residents who have unlimited knowledge of their local area, and wear the T-shirts – ‘We have suffered flooding in the past!’
My (probably) final update post on this for information:
https://www.facebook.com/135691707151701/posts/518711482183053/?d=n&substory_index=0
https://www.facebook.com/135691707151701/posts/518711482183053/?d=n&substory_index=0
The photo you have posted of “Dunsfold Road” in Cranleigh is NOT taken in Cranleigh. . It is at the bottom of Wrotham Hill in Dunsfold. It is the River Lox a tributary of The Arun at the Plaistow/Chiddingfold Road junction on the way to Chiddingfold from Dunsfold,