Oxford and Abingdon Flood Schemes

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Flood Defence
Over the last week there have been displays in the Community Free Space windows about flooding. On Saturday there was a chance to talk to people from the Environment Agency about the displays.

The Oxford scheme will work by diverting some flood water across the open flood plain and away from properties which flood at present. The Environment Agency have done their own modelling on the effects downstream to Abingdon, and unusually the VWHDC have commissioned their own independent study of the scheme.

There were also projects being looked at for Abingdon.

A 33.6 meter flood wall, to protect 5 properties at St Helen’s Mill from flooding, should be constructed between May and July 2017.

Options are being looked at for alleviating flooding from the River Ock including a flood storage scheme the other side of the A34.
Flood Defence
They have also been looking at deploying temporary defences. The more complex area to deploy such defences is around Tower Close and Meadowside, and they will trying to deploy a section of such defences in the next couple of weeks to get timings and note issues. Some ground work has already been done with residents.
Flood Defence
The defences are of the sort that has been already been used at Staines-on-Thames.
Flood Defence
Such defences would not deal with a flood of the scale seen in 2007 but could, with with the addition of pumps, protect from smaller floods.
Flood Defence
They will also be testing a deployment near the Ladygrove Estate. Then judge this along with other options such as flood storage.

You can find out more about the Oxford and Abingdon flood schemes at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/reducing-flood-risk-in-oxford-and-abingdon.

Wet – Theme Day

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Wet
10 years ago there was a flood in Abingdon – described by the Environment Agency as a 1 in 200 year event. Heavy rain on the clay soils of the River Ock catchment led – within about 36 hours – to many houses in Abingdon being flooded.
Wet
Ock Street flooded
Wet
St Helen’s Mill flooded.

These pictures are shown as part of the City Daily Photo Theme Day: Wet. click here for more.

There has also been an interesting exhibition in the Community Space – to be featured on tomorrow’s blog – showing what the environment agency has been doing to counter future flooding.

Abingdon Bridge Sold

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Abingdon Bridge Sold
A Chinese Consortium are in talks to buy Abingdon Bridge as part of a deal that will see a second bridge across the Thames in Abingdon.

The plan is to charge tolls on both bridges to finance the construction.

It is understood that the second bridge will be called The MG Bridge – MGs being a car once made in Abingdon and now made in China.

Spokesman Yew Gon Laf told me: “It will bring many tourists into Abingdon attracted by the Chinese built MG bridge, and the new Hilton Hotel in Abingdon.” (This hotel was announced in Thursday’s Oxford Mail.)

Mr Richard Turpin, a spokesman for the Highwaymens Agency said “Clearly this is the only way Abingdon will ever get a second bridge, as we will not stand and deliver such a bridge.”