Colchester: Call for action to tackle Cowdray Avenue flooding

Parts of Cowdray Avenue in Colchester were submerged in water on Christmas Day and on Tuesday, near a junction to a housing estate.

On Tuesday, the inside lane of the westwards carriageway was blocked, with all vehicles forced into the outside lane, while flood water also covered the pavement.

Sir Bob Russell, Colchester’s High Steward, said: “There have been social media reports blaming Colchester Council for allowing the new housing estate to be built, but the council refused planning permission.

“It was granted on appeal by a Government planning inspector.

“I spoke at the inquiry against the housing scheme, pointing out that the field was on a flood plain right next to the River Colne.

“But the inspector decided otherwise.

“He was told that flooding was an issue. Flooding of the road, on a regular basis, is now the consequence of allowing this land to be built on.”

Flooding has twice hit Cowdray Avenue in recent days

He added: “Essex Highways are not oblivious to the flooding of Cowdray Avenue, because they have put a sign on the greensward saying flood.

“We need more than a temporary sign. What is needed is for Essex Highways and Anglian Water to bring forward a solution to the flooding.”

Sir Bob said as a “major traffic route”, the road must be a priority.

One resident said on social media: “The drainage kerbs that flow into the ditch are lower that the ditch itself and this is lower than the river.

“Concreting over flood plains clearly has its consequences and that has been evident for a very long time.”

An Essex Highways spokesman said: “Unusually high rainfall was experienced in many areas of Essex over the Christmas weekend and bank holiday period.

“Unsurprisingly, in some places public and private drainage systems were unable to cope with the volume of water that came down.

“We do everything we can to help alleviate the issue through our gully jetting crews but after a sustained period of wet weather we can never entirely eliminate the risk of some localised flooding on the highway.”