Flood improvements due to start in Lympstone
Flood improvement works are scheduled to take place in Longmeadow Road in Lympstone later this month.
Repairs will be carried out to an old brick and pipe culvert under the road, starting from Monday 21 May, in order to reduce the flood risk to at least 10 properties.
The culvert carries a small stream, classed as an “Ordinary Watercourse”, which flows underneath several properties and the road itself, before discharging into the main river, the Wotton Brook.
The culvert has historically become overwhelmed by large volumes of water - the last time was during a large storm event in November 2012 when 10 properties suffered internal flooding.
Investigations by Devon County Council’s Flood and Coastal Risk Management Team, identified several sections of culvert in need of repair.
The repair scheme will address these sections and remove the restrictions to flows and debris. A plastic liner will also be installed along the length of the culvert, providing a smooth surface and less resistance to the flow of water.
Councillor Roger Croad, Devon County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Environmental Services, said: “The investigative work has been extremely thorough in order to find the issues with the culvert. This improvement scheme will help flows through the culvert, during heavy storms, that will reduce the risk of water backing up and flooding the road and homes.”
Councillor Richard Scott, Devon County Councillor for Exmouth, said: “This is another vital investment by Devon County Council in Lympstone flood resilience which will help reduce the risk of flooding to surrounding properties in the future.”
Councillor Jeff Trail, Devon County Councillor for Exmouth, said: “We look forward to further co-operation with all agencies involved in flood protection in Lympstone to put a strategy in place for flood prevention with an aim to future proof the village.”
Work is expected take around three weeks to complete. A small section of Longmeadow Road will be closed during this time, but disruption for vehicles will be kept to a minimum and pedestrian access to properties will be maintained at all times.
In addition to these initial improvements, Devon County Council is part of a community-led, multi-agency project involving Lympstone Flood Resilience Group, the Environment Agency, South West Water and East Devon District Council. The aim is to assess the flood risk in Lympstone more accurately (through hydraulic modelling) and, subject to funding, promote delivery of the most appropriate cost-beneficial options to further reduce the risk of flooding.
