Harborough MP Neil O’Brien is calling a meeting with the Environment Agency and the County Council, to discuss how to reduce flooding risks in future.
Following storm Ciaran, there has been flooding of roads and properties across the area.
Neil said:
“I've been out and about across the constituency looking at the flooding problems, and meeting people who had flood damage to their homes or businesses. It was sad to see the damage, whether it was to businesses like the Italian Greyhound pub in Great Glen, or to people's homes.”
“I am calling a meeting with the Environment Agency and the County Council, because lessons must be learned from the flooding we have just seen. There are parts of the road network that could be more resilient when it rains. For example, the Melton Road where it goes under the railway bridge gets flooded several times a year. In some cases there may be things that could be done by improving the drainage, for example under the railway bridge in Kibworth. In the longer term there may be things we can do to create more overflow areas and slow water flow areas of tributaries in the countryside, so that they can act like sponges, and reduce sudden flows of water which then cause problems in the centre of Market Harborough.”
“It’s essential that the most up to date flood risk information is fed into the local councils plans for housing too. Harborough is planning to do its next local plan on a fast track basis, but it is essential that a thorough and up to date assessment of flood risks is part of it, so that we don’t end up with houses built on flood risk areas.”
