Oakley Green, Fifield and District Community Association Ltd
Environment
Drainage update 19 - 18.09.2014

We have been assured by Streetcare that the long awaited consultant has finally been appointed and is engaged in a study of the drainage problems in our area. Our "9 Wet Spots" report has been passed on to the consultant and Stage 1 of the catchment study is scheduled for completion by Friday Sept 19 2014.

Stage 2 of the catchment study will involve inspection of areas considered to be significant in terms of flood risk and liaison with flood wardens, Parish Council representatives and community representatives. The consultant has been asked to contact the Oakley Green Fifield and District Community Association Environment Work Group as part of this Stage.

Stage 3 will involve the development of an action plan to address flooding issues in the catchment.

Wet Spot 1 - On Tuesday July 15 2014 a site meeting at the Cricket Club. Their pitch and nets get flooded in the winter and the Oakley Green Road frequently floods along their stretch. We believe the root cause of the road flooding is an inadequate capacity in culvert and chamber at their south west corner and the underground pipe heading north from there along their western boundary. Until such time as the capacity of this route is increased we will see no improvement. Some time ago we suggested alternative approaches might be considered such as delaying the arrival of water flowing off the drift road ridge towards this point and increasing the holding capacity of the ditch and ground on the southern side of the road. We understand Streetcare has now been considering those possibilities and we await their proposals with interest.

Wet Spot 2 - Now that the ditch past the Speed bump near Longlea Nursing Home has been re-instated the increased flow northward on the west side of Fifield Road has highlighted some other problems. The first of these has been addressed by the placement of "plugs" to prevent water from the larger capacity eastern ditch flowing under the road and overloading the flow in the western ditch. North of Wayside Stables underground pipes were found to be damaged and blocked and work was scheduled to remedy this. We have just been informed by Streetcare that this work has now been carried out. The two culverts crossing the road in the vicinity of Deeds House have been jetted and have been found to be clear. We have therefore tentatively returned this wet spot to green status.

Wet Spot 4 - After 12 years of trying to achieve an improvement for Coningsby Lane north east we are now going to have to propose an alternative scheme. Streetcare are reluctant to support our proposal to re-instate a ditch that functioned until 1989-90 unless there is unanimous agreement among the local residents. As we cannot achieve the work without the support of Streetcare we are working on an alternative and less obvious proposal which we hope will prove acceptable to all.

Wet Spot 7 - Streetcare have carried out extensive investigations in the region of Pond House on Fifield Road, freeing a covered chamber access, jetting pipes, etc. The conclusion was that drainage from this area should be via a chamber in the footway at the north east corner of Garden Cottage into a ditch heading east towards the Polo pitch and then north behind the houses. We wrote to the Landowner and are pleased to report that there was a prompt reply and a meeting took place in the afternoon of Thursday July 17. The landowner, Mr Bennett, met with us and Streetcare on site. We are grateful to him for pointing out how the local system flows. Contrary to intuition drainage from this low spot actually should flow SOUTH under the road to the chamber under the footway near the corner of Garden Cottage and then EAST alongside the Polo pitch.

We understand that further work will now be carried out in this area. Streetcare say "The works near Pond House will be in the next batch of highway drain repairs. Unfortunately I am unable to give you any idea of timescale at the moment."

Finally, I would like to emphasize yet again that we urgently need someone to step forward to take on this drainage role. There is still much useful work to be done but 6 years will be more than enough for one individual and in a year from now I will step down whether anyone else has come forward or not. Obviously I very much hope that someone with more youthful vigour picks up the baton long before then !