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Villagers in flood-hit Yalding, near Maidstone, want more done to prevent future flooding

10:26, 10 April 2021

updated: 10:35, 10 April 2021

People living in a flood-hit village say they still live in fear for their homes and businesses despite the council committing £50,000 to further prevention projects.

Homes in Yalding had to be evacuated on Christmas Day in 2013 after hundreds of families woke to find their homes flooded by rising waters in the Medway valley.

Watch: Residents still live in fear for their homes and businesses

Following the floods the Medway Flood Partnership (MFP) was established as a way of bringing different organisations together to address ways of mitigating risks to life and property along the river.

The MFP focuses on three main areas in tackling flood dangers: capital investment and maintenance, natural flood management, and community resilience.

At a meeting of the Maidstone Borough Council policy and resources committee last month, councillors agreed to commit £50,000, to be matched by South East Rivers Trust (SERT) funding of £180,000, to carry out three further natural flood management projects.

But despite the further investment, people in Yalding fear it is still not enough to prevent a repeat of the devastation in 2013.

Linda Boone was forced from her home for around six months following the Christmas Day floods, and she says people locally want more done to stop it happening again.

Homes had to be evacuated when Yalding flooded on Christmas Day in 2013. Picture: Richard Wingett
Homes had to be evacuated when Yalding flooded on Christmas Day in 2013. Picture: Richard Wingett

She said: "I know they have been doing some work, but obviously we have flooded twice so we would like to see more being done.

"We had a couple of feet of water through the house on both occasions and it is horrible, your whole home is ruined.

"Every time it rains for a long period of time you think, is it going to happen again?"

Fellow resident Nigel Franks agreed with the calls for greater investment in flood defences.

"It is a worry sometimes," he said. "I know the Government has spent money, and the council say they are spending money, but we don't see anything being done and I just wonder if it's going to work."

Yalding resident Linda Boone fears a repeat of the floods of 2013
Yalding resident Linda Boone fears a repeat of the floods of 2013

Three natural flood management projects involve the alteration, restoration or use of landscape features to reduce flood risk are planned with the latest funding.

One objective will be to work with landowners to reduce dramatic rises in water level on School Stream, which flows through Headcorn, during periods of heavy rain.

A second is trying to make the River Beult catchment, which is described as "a strategic water resource catchment for drinking water supply", more resilient to climate change.

Finally, the SERT will work with farmers to help reduce water run-off from poly-tunnels used to cultivate crops.

A spokesman for the local authority said: "Maidstone Borough Council will be contributing £50,000 towards work by the South East Rivers Trust to carry out three further projects. The funding would be matched by third-party funding of £180,000 that the Trust can access.

"These proposed projects complement the geography of the community resilience projects in Yalding and Collier Street, providing a balanced investment in flood risk reduction and water resource across the borough."

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