Pounds 1m Flood Plan 'Is Just Crazy' ; Market Weighton: Reservoir Defences May Never Be Needed Pounds 1m Reservoir Flood Defences Plan 'Is Just Crazy'

Summary

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A ROW has erupted over plans to spend Pounds 1 million on defences for a flood event that may never happen. Market Weighton's mayor Peter Hemmerman has branded the decision to shore up the reservoir near Aspen Close in the town centre "crazy". The Environment Agency revealed it is legally obliged to fork out for a scheme protecting the town from deluge that may happen just once in 10,000 years. It is set to go ahead despite residents, affected by sewage flooding at their homes, being told there is not enough money to upgrade the 150-year-old drainage system. Now, Councillor Hemmerman has written to Environment Minister Caroline Spelman. Mr Hemmerman said: "This is crazy, absolutely barmy. "This is only set to protect us from an event to happen once in 10,000 years. "The agency came up with a number of ideas but went with a 60-metre concrete slipway which would discharge the water into the new council play park.

"Market Weighton suffers a number of flooding problems which could easily be solved with Pounds 1 million of funding. "While Yorkshire Water is responsible for the drainage, the agency could help the situation by removing the culvert or widening it." Historically, Market Weighton has been susceptible to flooding because it is set in a dip, with water flowing down from the hills to the north and east. Mr Hemmerman believes that, in a one-in- 10,000-year event, the town would flood regardless of the reservoir breaching. "It seems the agency is creating work for itself to make it look important," he said. "The council doesn't support this and the residents I have spoken to are against it. "If there was such a downpour to overfill the reservoir, the town would be flooded anyway." The Yates family had their garden flooded with raw sewage twice in a fortnight towards the end of last year. Helen and Darren Yates, of Glenfield Avenue, had to send their two-year-old son Keiran to his grandparents because of sewage in their garden. Mr Yates said: "We definitely need money to upgrade the drainage system rather than on a flood defence that may never be required.

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Pounds 1m Flood Plan 'Is Just Crazy' ; Market Weighton: Reservoir Defences May Never Be Needed Pounds 1m Reservoir Flood Defences Plan 'Is Just Crazy'

"There are other areas of East Yorkshire which absolutely need these defences. "It is a ridiculous situation." Town councill...

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