W4: Resilient Infrastructure 2018-19 – Designing Schemes

This is the Designing Schemes section of the SRA Annual Report 2018-19 in W4: Resilient Infrastructure.

A38 drainage improvements

Work done for the SRA by Somerset County Council will reduce the duration of flooding on the A38 near Chelston, between Wellington and Taunton. The drainage system here is over 90 years old and cannot cope with a lot of heavy rain. A 300mm pipe was therefore fitted under the road close to Blackdown Garden Centre and the River Tone tributary Haywards Water, to take more water away. This improvement followed on from an SRA-funded scheme along the A38 at Rumwell the year before. In March 2019, the SRA Board approved funding for a major study into further upgrades near Chelston.

East Stoke, Stoke sub Hamdon

Two new manholes allowed for a full CCTV survey and very useful culvert-jetting. This year, detritus, roots and bits of broken pipe have all been cleared by Somerset County Council, using contractors Skanska. This SRA-funded work complements earlier highway drainage improvements carried out by Somerset County Council; 10 properties in East Stoke, and the road to Montacute, should now benefit from reduced flood risks. A report has also been prepared on the capacity of the system and potential further improvements. Findings are being discussed with the local county councillor with a view to engaging with residents

Monksilver

The SRA Board agreed in September 2018 to put £170,000 from underspends on projects in 2017-18 into flood protection works in Monksilver. Somerset County Council’s Highways Dept then designed a scheme for the SRA, focusing on problems at the northern and southern ends of the village. A contract was let to Skanska for the carrying out and completion of works in three phases between April and June 2019. The scheme complements earlier projects by Somerset County Council, and more minor SRA-funded activities such as underground CCTV surveying, drain jetting, de-silting near The Notley Arms and natural flood management works upstream at Combe Sydenham. The latter were delivered for the SRA by the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group SouthWest, as part of the Hills to Levels initiative.

Shurton and Burton Highway Flood Relief

Somerset County Council’s Highways Department has been designing a scheme for the SRA at two sites. The main aims are to reduce the risk of the hamlets of Shurton and Burton in the parish of Stogursey from being cut off by flooding, to improve the emergency evacuation route from Hinkley Point and to help protect some nearby properties. Site 1 is between Water Farm and Little Water Farm on Water Lane. Site 2 is Newnham Bridge on Shurton Road. Both places flood because of their low level and also, at Stogursey, because of an obstructed water channel. The parish council has agreed to work with landowners so as to get them to fulfil their riparian responsibilities in clearing water courses to reduce the level of flooding.

Water Lane design works progressed well during the year. At Newnham Bridge, matters have proved more complex, because variations in carriageway levels of more than half a metre make raising the road to a single uniform height more difficult. Works are expected to start in autumn 2019.