Hythe flooding: Essex council prepares valve funding bid

Business owners and residents have long called for a solution to the regular flooding which plagues Haven Road, at the Hythe.

In April, car trader Dave Smith set up a petition to see a £100,000 pump funded as a short-term solution to the issue.

Mr Smith regularly commutes through troubled Haven Road when undertaking work at his Colchester firm Auto Trade Link, but has seen business suffer due to repeated flooding.

Colchester MP Will Quince set up the Hythe Task Force, in partnership with stakeholders looking to resolve the issue, and said Essex County Council is looking to apply for funding from the Environment Agency to fund a pump.

"It is a short to medium term solution," he said.

"The Essex County Council application was a result of the task force's work."

Colchester MP Will Quince (Image: UK Parliament)

He said a meeting of the taskforce is scheduled for later this month.

A county council spokesperson said: “Essex County Council is working in partnership with Colchester Borough Council, Anglian Water and the Environment Agency to deal with the flooding on Haven Road and the Hythe.

“We are leading the funding bid for a robust rubberised flap valve to help reduce tidal water rising through local drainage systems.

"This system is still being costed and once purchased, it is hoped experienced Anglian Water operatives will lead on installation.

"This is just one step we are taking in the multi-agency push to ease flooding in this part of Colchester.”

• READ MORE: Council vows to work with partners to tackle flooding issue at the Hythe

The road suffered from flooding woes for around 60 years, amid a combination of high tides and lack of infrastructure to deal with heavy rainfall.

A high tide in the nearby River Colne causes the road to be covered with inches of water, causing delays for drivers and even breakdowns.