Retired couple Michael and Christine Cooper have been displaced from their Nicholas Close bungalow in Brading for some 18 months, with a date on when they can return still unknown. It was back in November 2023 that Island Echo visited Michael and Christine at their home in Brading to witness first-hand the devastating effects that the flooding had on their lives. Whilst almost everyone on the residential cul-de-sac is faced with displacement when adverse weather hits, for Michael and Christine Cooper it has been almost 2 years of hell with the couple hit by repeated floods, the first of which took place in September 2022. Then, just days after they were given the green light to head back to their home in January 2023, torrential rain hit and their bungalow and garden were completely flooded. Throughout the last 18 months, the married couple has been forced to stay at the local chain hotel – The Premier Inn – or in a caravan. Michael and Christine spent their 50th wedding anniversary at the hotel as well as Christmas 2023. Heavy rain experienced earlier this week has set back plans of a return to their home for the Coopers, who are back to square one again as yet another clean-up begins. Residents say several problems have caused the flooding including ageing infrastructure, poor irrigation and silt build-up, following what the Environment Agency described as ‘the heaviest rainfall in decades due to climate change’. One of the biggest issues is said to be the sluice gates at nearby Bembridge, which are intermittently closed to allow the area to flood so that birds and other wildlife can prosper. However, Brading residents say that such a decision means that the levels on Brading Marshes are higher than they should and, when it rains heavily, there is simply nowhere for the water to go.
The Environment Agency said it had helped to secure £15,000 to protect the Coopers’ property, as well as working on neighbouring homes. It said the bungalow’s new defences included automatic closing air bricks, flood doors, pumps and other waterproofing.
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The scene on Nicholas Close in November 2023
In a statement, Island Roads said:
“The properties in Nicholas Close are built in a low-lying area which becomes flooded when the nearby Eastern Yar river bursts its banks and/or when its levels are such that it cannot accept rainwater from the surrounding flood plain.
“Because of wet weather and rising sea levels, flooding in this area has become increasingly common.
“We are certain highway drainage is not the cause.”
Do you even live on the island? Sea levels HAVE risen. 300 years ago the Solent could be crossed on horse back at low tied. The first Solent crossings were horse and cart. At the current rate, at the end of the century the esplanade will be permanently under water.
Horse and cart crossing the Solent? In 1724. Please give the evidence of that. Book, Written account, either will do. Not I was told by an old Islander.
I agree (not with the bible bit), what proof is there that this heavy rainfall was caused by climate change? Just a bandwagon that people who cannot prove anything jump on. Could have been the combination of El Nino and the position of the jet stream that sent more rain bearing cloud over the country than normal.
Yes it rain before, but we never got a months of rain in one night for weeks on end. We’re having winter storms on a weekly basis now often with winds over 70mph. Anyone still denying climate change is either stupid, lying or got their head stuck up their arse.
Just as the scientists said twenty years ago, the storms will get worse and more frequent. We’re having one in a decade storm week after week now.
Each time it was due to an outside influence, volcanism, asteroid strikes, etc.
This time it’s due to us.
But you keep your head shoved up your own poopchute. After all it’ll be your grandchildren and great grandchildren who suffer the brunt of it. You’ll be fine.
fred
2 years ago
Welcome to Tory Brittan, where they would rather your home flood from the constant heavy rain storms than to do something about climate change.
During this Mesozoic Era — from about 250 to 66 million years ago — the concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere were around 16 times higher than now, creating a “greenhouse climate” with temperatures on average six to nine degrees warmer than today
…
don’t recall the dinosaurs driving petrol cars, or burning fossil fuels to keep warm.
oh, looks like the climate does what it wants, when it wants – humans over exaggerate their impact and influence on the planet
We have a genius in our midst. Understands that CO2 is a driver of climate change but has discovered that the CO2 coming out car exhaust pipes is somehow different to the CO2 from volcanos.
Give the bloke a Nobel Prize.
Joe nash
2 years ago
Not helping by closing sluice gates when there is excess water. Surely gates only needed to retain water when it’s scarce?
It’s a joke really they need to dredge the river and let drain out there should be no flooding in brading that’s what the river is supposed to do take the water to the sea
Because of wet weather and rising sea levels,
drivel – sea levels around the island haven’t risen, otherwise Ryde Pier would be unusable at high tide.
this is solely a result of building more and more houses on more and more fields, meaning the rainwater has no where to go, except into peoples homes.
Do you even live on the island? Sea levels HAVE risen. 300 years ago the Solent could be crossed on horse back at low tied. The first Solent crossings were horse and cart. At the current rate, at the end of the century the esplanade will be permanently under water.
Horse and cart crossing the Solent? In 1724. Please give the evidence of that. Book, Written account, either will do. Not I was told by an old Islander.
What utter rubbish the sea levels have risen check your facts
“climate change”?!? It rained when I was young too. It has always rained, as far back as the Bible.
I agree (not with the bible bit), what proof is there that this heavy rainfall was caused by climate change? Just a bandwagon that people who cannot prove anything jump on. Could have been the combination of El Nino and the position of the jet stream that sent more rain bearing cloud over the country than normal.
Yes it rain before, but we never got a months of rain in one night for weeks on end. We’re having winter storms on a weekly basis now often with winds over 70mph. Anyone still denying climate change is either stupid, lying or got their head stuck up their arse.
Just as the scientists said twenty years ago, the storms will get worse and more frequent. We’re having one in a decade storm week after week now.
jeez fred – the climate has been changing since the inception of the planet
And it has caused a number of mass extinctions.
Each time it was due to an outside influence, volcanism, asteroid strikes, etc.
This time it’s due to us.
But you keep your head shoved up your own poopchute. After all it’ll be your grandchildren and great grandchildren who suffer the brunt of it. You’ll be fine.
Welcome to Tory Brittan, where they would rather your home flood from the constant heavy rain storms than to do something about climate change.
Whose is Tory Brittan?
I think he must mean Tony Britton who was in Robin’s Nest
Fern Brittan’s father,but what he’s got to do with it,I don’t know?
Anyway he’s been Dead for 5 years.
during the time of the dinosaurs it was very hot
During this Mesozoic Era — from about 250 to 66 million years ago — the concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere were around 16 times higher than now, creating a “greenhouse climate” with temperatures on average six to nine degrees warmer than today
…
don’t recall the dinosaurs driving petrol cars, or burning fossil fuels to keep warm.
oh, looks like the climate does what it wants, when it wants – humans over exaggerate their impact and influence on the planet
We have a genius in our midst. Understands that CO2 is a driver of climate change but has discovered that the CO2 coming out car exhaust pipes is somehow different to the CO2 from volcanos.
Give the bloke a Nobel Prize.
Not helping by closing sluice gates when there is excess water. Surely gates only needed to retain water when it’s scarce?
Used to slow the flow of water to prevent flooding.
It’s a joke really they need to dredge the river and let drain out there should be no flooding in brading that’s what the river is supposed to do take the water to the sea