Nottinghamshire County Council-led property flood resilience works near completion in major Southwell Flood Alleviation scheme
Residents have continued to benefit from a major flood alleviation scheme, with work underway to protect listed homes from flooding.
An application has been submitted for a home in Easthorpe, Southwell, for floodgate barriers at its doors which can be deployed during a flood event.
The plans have been made by Nottinghamshire County Council, who will also undertake the works with no cost to the homeowner, as part of its capital Southwell Flood Alleviation scheme.
The home is Grade-II listed, and if approved by Newark and Sherwood District Council, will be the second listed property to benefit from the scheme — as work is already underway at another property in the town.
94 non-listed properties at risk of flooding have also had defences installed as part of the scheme, with most completed several years ago.
Two further listed buildings are due to have plans submitted for flood protection, which will complete Nottinghamshire County Council’s property flood resilience scheme in Southwell.
The council secured funding for the overall £5.3m alleviation scheme in 2018. This includes the construction of an earth bund across Potwell Dyke for which planning permission was granted earlier this year, improved surface water capture on Church Street, additional attenuation measures in ditches on Kirklington Road and Springfield Road, and the construction of a small bund to increase water storage at Starkey’s Pond.
It followed a significant flooding event in the town in 2013, and other flooding events in 2007, 2019, 2023, and 2024.
The July 2013 event caused £9m of damage to 200 homes and businesses in the town when three inches of rain fell in an hour — and left some residents unable to return to their homes for many months and some for up to a year.
To fund the major flood alleviation scheme, the county council agreed an investment of £600,000, Newark and Sherwood District Council £220,000, Southwell Flood Forum £233,000 and Southwell Town Council £120,000, alongside other match funding and government support.
