Northumberland flood victims living in fear
It’s been one year since recovery got underway across the North East after what’s now been called the worst floods in our history.
Homeowners in Corbridge tell us they’re just moving back in now, with some not set to move in until well into 2017.
We spoke to Frank Parker, from Lion Court, as he was moving boxes in the house after moving in yesterday. Frank said:
“I’m just pleased to get back in, it’s been one year now… we lost everything. Everybody has been in the same boat.”
Meanwhile, the road to recovery is still ongoing for Paul and Nicola Horbrough who decided to raise their house 2.6metres high on stilts, after their home was under around 6ft of water in December 2015.
They’ll hopefully get to move home in April, around 17months after the floods. Paul said:
“Storm Desmond pretty much took everything away that I owned, it’s not just stuff and bits, it’s work, it’s the fact that you’re then living in rented accommodation which isn’t your home, you’re trying to make sure your kids aren’t affected by it. It puts a strain on everything and I’d be lying if I said there weren’t some pretty deep scars as a results.
“The whole budget cost if you include the money we’ve got from the insurance to make good the whole budget coast would be in the region of around £300,000… Now we’re stood outside a house which is 2.6metres off the ground but downstairs it is a floodable space if it needs to be.”
Northumberland County Council reveal the two months of severe weather left 214 homes and 94 businesses flooded, 30 bridges and 98 roads damaged and caused 17 landslips.
Shortly after the storms subsided the council secured £14.6m in government funding towards its £24m repair bill to deliver a wide programme of highway repairs.
Work to deliver the programme is ongoing, continuing throughout the winter and into next year, including the construction of a new surface water drainage system in Corbridge which is due to start on site in late November.
Meanwhile the Environment Agency will test temporary flood defence barriers for the first time in the North East on Newcastle’s Quayside.
The barriers are held at strategic sites across the UK and can be transported anywhere in the country within twelve hours.
In Newcastle, the one-metre-high barrier will stretch from the Copthorne Hotel almost up to the Pitcher & Piano, covering the lowest section of the Quayside, which floods when the River Tyne reaches 3.15 metres.
Alan Cadas, Operations Manager for the Environment Agency in the North East, said:
“We know the devastating impact flooding can have on people’s lives and livelihoods. We’ve worked hard this past year improving and repairing flood defences across the North East to protect communities and businesses ahead of this coming winter.
“This exercise is another part of our winter readiness activities. We can never completely eliminate the risk of flooding but by training staff from the Environment Agency and partners in how to erect the temporary barriers, we add another weapon to our armoury.”