SRA Annual Report 2025-26: Watchet town centre and Lower Keyford, Frome
Parts of Watchet and Frome were investigated during the 2024-25 stage of the ‘Local flood risk management measures’ project outlined elsewhere in the SRA Annual Report 2025-26, and both were judged to warrant further moves.
Watchet
The SRA therefore agreed to part-fund a Somerset Council-Wessex Water proposal for the design of improved rainwater and surface water management measures to reduce flood risks in the Market Street area of Watchet town centre.
One aim was to work out how best to retrofit Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) into the Market Street car park (owned by Somerset Council), another was to encourage the use of SuDS and innovative rainwater management techniques nearby.
Hence in 2025-26 the project team surveyed assets, reviewed and analysed data, held meetings with the town council, and drew up some initial designs. Local residents consulted in April 2026 were keen to see more.
Lower Keyford
The SRA also agreed to part-fund a Somerset Council-Wessex Water proposal to reduce the high risks of surface water flooding at Lower Keyford in Frome.
A CCTV survey was done of a culverted watercourse under Lower Keyford.
Results suggested the best way to reduce flooding could be to attenuate rainwater upstream and/or separate it from local surface water drains. This idea will now be assessed.
Given how drains here may interact with sewers, water quality in the Dippy Stream and River Frome could also be improved.