A crucial part of the defences to prevent a repeat of the Christmas 2013 floods that hit Newport has been completed.
The Westminster Grill across Lukely Brook will prevent debris entering a culvert under Westminster Mill. The culvert was blocked during the previous flooding with vegetation, plastic sheeting, corrugated steel and children’s toys. The new grill is a much bigger structure specifically designed to meet the needs of the location.
Cllr Chris Whitehouse (Conservative, Newport West Ward) has this week said:
“The new Westminster Grill is a state of the art, purpose designed and built construction to replace what was previously a scrappy and inadequate trash screen. It has several layers of screen, individually cast and bolted together on site; it incorporates CCTV cameras and sensors, and is cleaned out twice a week. If flooding is likely and the water levels rise, it will trigger alarms at the Environment Agency so emergency crews can be sent to remove any blockages.
“Christmas 2013 was a nightmare for local residents. I’ve been working closely with the Environment Agency, Southern Water, the Island MP, Andrew Turner, and the Isle of Wight Council to address a whole series of problems with Lukely Brook, but this was the biggest construction element of the scheme.
“My local residents in Newport West Ward will all join me, I’m sure, in thanking the Environment Agency’s senior officer, David Gaskell, and all his team for making this project happen.”
Dave Gaskell, Flood and Coastal Risk Management Officer at the EA added:
“The new screen will significantly reduce flood risk to the local community. It’s much bigger so there’s less risk of the grill getting completely covered with debris and the time available for our field staff, often working in difficult condition, to safely clean it will increase.
Article continues below this advertisement “We would also like to advise all local residents, who may be at flood risk, to register with the Environment Agency’s free Floodline Warning Direct service which provides flood warnings via phone, mobile, pager, SMS texting and digital channels 24 hours a day 365 days a year. You can register at https://fwd.environment-agency.gov.uk/app/olr/home“.
The completion of the major construction project follows the successful campaign led by Cllr Whitehouse to persuade Southern Water to remove a redundant sewer from underneath a bridge in Caesars Road Newport which had caused blocking and flooding of the Brook at a different location.
Cllr Whitehouse added:
“Local collaboration and teamwork has delivered real progress to protect local residents from a repeat of the 2013 flooding. Never again do we want Father Christmas having to ditch his reindeer and visit Caesars Road in an inflatable dinghy!
“But the job of work isn’t over by any means. The biggest single problem we have is local residents and litter louts throwing debris into the Brook further up. Even on the day we visited the screen there were piles of garden debris and even a doormat that had to be cleared way from the grill. This is irresponsible, reckless and antisocial behavior by a few individuals that jeopardises the homes of many people.
“I’ve convened a meeting of interested parties including the Newport Rivers Group, The Environment Agency, Southern Water and the Isle of Wight Council to look at what more we can do to encourage responsible management of the Brook and discourage the dumping of litter, garbage and garden waste on its banks where it’s washed into the Brook should the levels rise.”
Featured photo L-R: Cllr Chris Whitehouse with the Environment Agency’s David Gaskell, standing on the new Westminster Grill
