Southwell bunds to protect homes from flooding is supported by town council
Long-awaited flood alleviation plans, which will protect more than 100 homes, have been backed.
Southwell Town Council have accepted plans for flood defences along Potwell Dyke, on land south of Church Street.
The plans, submitted by Nottinghamshire County Council, include the construction of an earth bund across the watercourse and a hydraulic control structure to restrict the rate of water flow and prevent downstream flooding.
Hundreds of homes were flooded following heavy rainfall in 2013 and Potwell Dyke burst its banks again in 2019.
David Martin, chairman of the council's planning committee, said: "The idea is that if water floods we will raise something like a dam, so it floods behind the bund rather than let it flood the town.
"When the rain stops it will let the water flow out. It is automatic, and moves depending on the depth of the dyke."
The scheme will also include habitat improvements to the area, with wildflower seeding on the bund, tree planting and footpath resurfacing.
The work is to be carried out by Via East Midlands.
Fencing is planned along the site boundary, which is partially owned by the county council and partially managed by the Higgons Mead Trust on behalf of the Dean of Southwell Minster.
While the proposal was accepted, councillors raised concerns about aspects of the plans.
Committee member Peter Scorer said: " I query the need for the fence. It was all part of the archbishop's deer park and it would be nice to see it open, but I understand it was part of the agreement."
The committee also discussed the use of the current metal fencing, which would be removed during the works. They proposed to ask for the fencing if it had no other use, to prevent it from being scrapped.
Steve Perry raised concerns about accessibility on the site, which has a public footpath cross the proposed location of the bund. The county council has proposed to build steps with handrails over the bund on the footpath, and also extend a level footpath along the site boundary and around the bund.
Mr Perry said: "There is a big proportion of people that will use the footpath that it will be a problem for. Would you as a mother with a pushchair want to take the long way?
"It's a public footpath, everybody should be able to use it."
The town council aim to ensure they have a say in the final design of the footpaths.
Following the plans being accepted by the town council, Mr Martin added: "Anyone who was flooded understands the importance of this. It is going to be very effective and that is why nobody had any objections."
