Hedon Flood Tests - September 2010
WORK STARTS on Monday 14th November 2011 which aims to reduce the risk of flooding in Hedon.
The project, jointly funded by Yorkshire Water and East Riding Council, with support from Hedon Town Council, will see the installation of pump apparatus, including permanent buried pipe-work, valve gear and hard standing for temporary pumps to be situated, within the Greville Road Playing Fields on Inmans Estate.
During the floods of 2000 and 2007, drainage systems on Inmans were unable to discharge to the nearby Burstwick Drain due to high water levels in the drain and on both of these occasions it was necessary to deploy temporary pumps which were difficult to install and blocked residents’ access.
Gary Collins, flood project engineer at Yorkshire Water, said: “Tackling flooding is a major focus for us, with the company currently investing £120 
million to play our part in flood alleviation across the region. However, no one organisation can tackle the problem by itself, which is why we’re working alongside local councils and the Environment Agency, with this latest project in Hedon being a great example of this approach.”
Councillor Chris Matthews, cabinet portfolio holder for highways and emergency planning at East Riding Council, and who also represents the authority on the Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee, said: “The council takes flood risk very seriously and has invested millions in more than 100 projects to help reduce the flood risk to many homes across the East Riding. Historically, flooding in Hedon has largely been down to the drainage system being unable to cope with high volumes of water. The works now being undertaken by the council and Yorkshire Water will allow for a faster deployment of pumps should they be required in the future.”
Work to alleviate flood risks on Inmans have been the subject of some debate in the town and on the Hedon Blog.
A KEY CONSULTATION which could have a massive impact on Hedon is currently underway. One of the proposals is to increase the employment land provision in the East Riding – principally through making Hedon Haven available for development by the renewable and low carbon energy industries.
EAST RIDING COUNCIL have responded to the petition calling for action on Yorkshire Water’s odour problem from its Waste Water Treatment Works. Because future smells may constitute a ‘statutory nuisance’ problem, then local communities would be asked to collect and give reliable evidence of any problems. The Report also raises some unresolved issues about the health impacts of the odours during summer 2011.
