100 tons of debris shifted as flooding preparations ramp up

As autumn begins, preparations have been made in North Attleborough to ensure floodwaters can drain away effectively this winter.   

The work has been carried out along Mill Lane, Ferguson Way and Norwich Road, all of which saw significant flooding last winter. The work was undertaken by several agencies, working under the Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance (NSFA) umbrella. Breckland District, Norfolk County and Attleborough Town Councils, alongside Anglian Water, have pooled resources to ensure the work is carried out before the autumn and winter rains bring the risk of more flooding in the area. 

Following significant flooding along Mill Lane, Ferguson Way and Norwich Rd last winter, the clearing of these two culverts - piped sections of rivers - was planned after inspections took place in earlier this year. The works, carried out by Lanes Group PLC on behalf of the partners involved, consisted of general maintenance works to remove silts and detritus from the base of the culverts and remove any impediments, allowing any potential floodwater to flow through the Besthorpe Stream system and away from properties. 

Henry Cator, Chair of the NSFA, said: "Last winter Attleborough saw just how disruptive high levels of rainfall can be, and I'm proud of all of our partners who have stepped up this summer to make sure the area is better prepared for any further flooding this year. We all have a role to play in making sure our existing infrastructure is ready for more heavy rainfall, and I hope the hard work here will inspire others to look at their own homes and think about how they can be better protected." 

Two culverts running between Mill Lane to Ferguson Way and Briar Gardens to Norwich Road have been cleared over the past two months using a VacEx machine. Whilst these culverts are in private ownership and legally are the responsibility of the landowner, the agencies involved agreed to clear them on behalf of the property owners to reduce the likelihood of flooding this winter. 

Cllr James Bensly, Norfolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "The work at Attleborough was a big job, moving tons of material, but the basic premise is the same across Norfolk: the best way to protect properties from flooding is to ensure floodwater has a way to drain away from your home or business. We know we're likely to see more flooding this year and, as winters become warmer and wetter, into the future as well, so every home or landowner should be asking themselves what they need to do to make sure water can drain safely away from their property, whether it's as simple as clearing the gutters or as demanding as excavating culverts on their land." 

George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk, said: "This is an important step on the road to ensuring we confine these major flooding events to the past. The multi-agency approach is delivering progress, but there is still much more that needs to be done. That's why I welcome the upcoming installation of a new, improved trash screen at the Mill Lane Culvert - jointly funded by Multi-Agency Group (MAG) members. It's also why I continue to work hard with the MAG as we pursue a much more comprehensive Flood Prevention and Water Management Scheme upstream that delivers the longer term solutions we need using the £150,000 we've already secured from the Government's Natural Flood Management Scheme - with the first stage of the project already in place." 

The culvert clearance works have cost approximately £35k, part of a wider £100k upgrade of drainage works around the Besthorpe Stream, and have been funded using contributions from the County, District and Town councils and Anglian Water. Roughly 100 tons of material have been removed from the two culverts during the clearance and taken to waste disposal sites. Future maintenance is always being considered, with discussions underway with a local flood action group and riparian landowners about funding a long-term strategy for the area now that the culverts are effectively back to an as-built condition. 

To supplement this work, further clearance of open watercourses downstream of Norwich Rd will be carried out by the Lanes Group PLC in the near future to allow better transfer of flow and sediment towards the main IDB drain opposite the A11. Following ecological checks this work is due to commence soon after the culvert clearance. 

Cllr Sarah Suggitt, Breckland Council's Executive Member for Planning & Housing, commented: "By working closely with our partners to improve waterflow in the area, properties in Attleborough should be protected from a repeat of the awful scenes last year. We can all play a role in protecting homes from flooding, from checking gutters to ensuring ditches on your land are kept free of blockages." 

Many properties were flooded in Attleborough and Besthorpe as a result of Storm Babet in October last year. With groundwater levels across Norfolk remaining high this August following a wet spring and summer, members of the NSFA are preparing for more flooding this year and carrying out work such as that at Attleborough in a number of at risk locations. 

Homeowners in Norfolk who want to prepare for potential flooding can find advice on what they can do on our website. Go to information on flooding for homeowners.

The Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance (NSFA) 

The Norfolk Strategic Flooding Alliance is a taskforce, brought together in early 2021, to work so that Norfolk communities and infrastructure are safer and more resilient to the risks of inland and coastal flooding. The Alliance includes, among others, the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, the Association of Drainage Authorities, the Water Management Alliance, Water Resources East, the Norfolk Resilience Forum, the Broads Authority and Norfolk's County, Borough, City, District and Parish Councils.