New housing estate to blame for flooding my house (From Worcester News)

New housing estate to blame for flooding my house

11:40am Saturday 22nd December 2012 in News By Sarah Davies

WATER-DAMAGED: Joan Green with sandbags outside her Dines Green home. Picture by Nick Toogood. 5112209104

A PENSIONER whose home has started flooding for the first time in 60 years says a new estate is to blame.

Muddy water seeped into Joan Green’s house in Tudor Way, Dines Green, Worcester, for the second time this year on Thursday.

The mother-of-six had to call in the fire service to help her clear up the mess when torrents of water cascaded down her garden path.

The 83-year-old had just finished the clean-up from the last flood, having decorated and put down new carpets.

She told your Worcester News she had never flooded before a new estate – Earls Court Farm – was built on land behind her home by developers Redrow.

The grandmother-of-10 said: “I heard a terrific gushing noise and water was coming into the house. I had to ring the fire brigade and the water went up to their knees. The first time it happened in the summer I was in hospital. “This is the second time it’s come into the house and the third time we’ve had flood waters. I don’t know what I would have done if my son Nigel hadn’t been here. I don’t need it. It’s more of a nightmare because we’ve never had it before.”

County and city councillor for the area Richard Udall has called on builders Redrow to urgently act to prevent further flooding.

He said: “Mrs Green has had enough, she is at the end of her tether, she must suffer no more. Redrow need to take urgent action to divert water away from her property and do so now. No ifs, buts or excuses, they need to act.”

Coun Udall said he would write to Redrow seeking its support and a firm commitment to put in place measures to prevent further incidents.

A spokesman for Redrow Homes (Midlands) said: “We were contacted by Age Concern on [Thursday] morning regarding flooding at a property on Tudor Way. We immediately sent a member of our technical team to site.

“We cannot be certain yet as to the cause of the flooding but our investigations are on-going and we [had] already taken some precautionary measures [on Thursday].

“We extend our sincere sympathies to any residents affected by flooding during the recent unprecedented weather conditions.”