Site 2: Southampton, Upper West Itchen
Latest News
The launch of the Southampton Itchen Community Group was held on 24th January 2012. A report of the evening will follow shortly along with the presentations given. This follows a public meeting we held on 8th November 2012 (the following report summarises the evening).
The next Community Group meeting is planned for 23rd May 2013 at the Riverside Social Club in Priory Road.
Please let Karen McHugh know on 01962 846027, if you would like to be part of the Community Group. We have produced a newsletter to show the work of the project to date.
Resources
- Hampshire & IOW LRF Community Resilience Group and Community Flood Planning Presentation (pdf file). Jan 2013.
- CCATCH – Southampton Itchen Community Meeting - 8th, November 2012. Meeting report.
- West Itchen and St Denys public information leaflet (pdf file)
Is your neighbourhood at risk of flooding?
The answer is yes. Due to the fact you live in an area adjacent to the River Itchen it is possible that with a certain combination of conditions (high tide combined with a low pressure system associated with storms) that a number of houses and businesses in your area could experience tidal flooding. It is also possible that this risk will increase in the future if sea levels continue to rise as predicted.
We would therefore like to invite you to become involved in a project that may help to reduce the risk to you and your property in the future.
Why should you get involved?
The most recent historical flood events in your area occurred on 26th December 1999 and 10th March 2008. Although these were both relatively minor flood events with only shallow flood water experienced, a few homes did suffer damage. If a more extreme flood were to occur the water depths could cause more damage to more properties.
If a flood were to occur in your area it would last less than 2½ hours (as the water would recede when the tide recedes). However, this does raise a number of concerns for property owners including:
- Potential flood damage to homes, property and belongings.
- Potential implications for future insurance of properties, value of houses, mortgages etc.
- How to protect homes, how effective it will be, what are the costs and how will it be paid for?
Getting involved in this project can help you understand these risks further, answer some key questions and possibly provide some solutions.
What is the Project?
This project is called CCATCH (Coastal Communities Adapting to Change) and we are helping Solent Communities prepare for coastal change, in particular sea level rise. The project is being run by Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council and the Solent Forum with the aid of an European Union grant. The aim is to work with you so that you are aware of and able to manage possible future risks.
One of the issues the project will explore is the applicability of a range of measures to reduce the impact of potential flooding to your property including flood gates, airbrick covers and other resistance measures, and to co-ordinate an application for funding to implement resistance measures to those properties in the highest risk areas. Lessons from those properties can then be spread to other property owners in areas at a lesser risk.
Who should be involved?
The members of the community who are being invited to become involved in this project are those living or working in the tidal flood risk area along the upper west bank of the River Itchen in St Denys from Woodmill Lane to Horseshoe Bridge.
We hope to hold a series of local meetings to explore the issues and opportunities further.
For further information on the project please contact:
The Solent Forum
Tel: 01962 846027
Email: info@solentforum.org.
