Fight to stop firm flooding
A FURIOUS Kinsley businessman has fought for 10 years to stop flooding at his firm – which he blames on Wakefield Council.
John Sherry, who with mum Gillian, owns Kinsley Timber Supplies, on New Street, Kinsley Industrial Estate, was forced to shut shop on Friday when his yard flooded and water started to get into his premises – after just a day's rainfall.
Mr Sherry, 32, said his business has flooded two or three times every year since a housing estate was built near his premises in 2000.
In June 2007 it flooded three times in ten days, causing more than 40,000 of damage on the third occasion.
Mr Sherry said: "Kinsley Timber has been here 64 years and it is only since the council gave permission for the housing estate behind Redland Crescent to be built that we have had problems.
"The council allowed the land to be raised for the estate and that just passed the flooding on to us. But we are not allowed to raise our land or put concrete bases on timberstacks to prevent water coming in.
"The council built a flood plain to alleviate the problem but it only worked once. On Friday it was empty.
"Breaking the flood bank would have temporarily solved the problem and allowed the water to drain away, but nobody at the council would give us permission to do that.
"We've had no suggestions from the council about what can be done in the long run to stop this happening. There wasn't much cost in damage this time, as our stock was low but we did lose a lot of custom while closed. We pay a lot of money in business rates and the council should get it sorted out.
"I have asked for a reduction because of the problem, but the council said no."
Ian Wiper, the council's service director for transportation and highways, said: "During the past four years the council has increased overall flood risk protection in Kinsley from low to medium.
"The council undertakes a regular watercourse management and grille clearance regime and has completed the flood mitigation strategy for Kinsley. Storage ponds have also been created to the rear of doctor's surgery on Wakefield Road, Kinsley, and at Milton Drive, which provide approximately a one in 30-year flood protection.
"A number of further flood alleviation schemes have been identified and need to be constructed, but this is subject to private landowner agreement."
lGardens and a field on Pendennis Avenue in South Elmsall were also severely waterlogged on Friday.
Ron Wright, of Pendennis Avenue, said: "After one day of rain or melting snow we experience flooding in our homes. In the last month they have flooded on two occasions.
"Nothing at all has been done to help people on our street, Marlborough Croft, Denholme Meadow and Minsthorpe Vale."
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Weather for Wakefield
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light sleet
Temperature: -0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
