Big plans for people and planes

The Environment Agency will alleviate the risk of flooding for thousands of people living in Crawley and south west Horley, as well as for Gatwick Airport.

The Environment Agency is working closely with many partner agencies on the Upper Mole Flood Alleviation scheme, which has been developed following extensive flooding in 2000 across Crawley, Horley and at Gatwick Airport.

Ian Tomes, Area Flood Risk Manager for the Environment Agency said: “This is an important scheme which will benefit more than a thousand homes in the Crawley area, as well as one of the major international airports in the South East. Residents will be able to comment on the proposals at a public exhibition, before we submit our planning application for the first phase.”

A public exhibition is being held in September at Tilgate Park. It will showcase the proposals to raise the level of the existing dam at Tilgate Lake in Crawley which is being undertaken as first phase of the scheme.

Beside Tilgate Lake, the other proposed new flood detention reservoir (FDR) sites are on the Gatwick Stream at Worth Farm, Crawley, the Stanford Brook at Clay’s Lake, Pease Pottage and on the River Mole at Ifield. The reservoirs store water during major rainfall, enabling it to be released back into the watercourse in a controlled manner. This helps reduce the risk of high flows which would otherwise cause flooding to properties.

Mr Tomes added: “We have consulted with users of Tilgate Lake to ensure that we have a better understanding of how people use the lake, and how we can incorporate their needs into the design of this element of the scheme. This is an exciting project and one that will make a real difference to the community and a major international airport.”

The Environment Agency has worked with Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council, Mid Sussex District Council and Reigate and Bansted Borough Council to identify the sites for the reservoirs.

Discussions are ongoing with Gatwick Airport Limited who have committed to support this scheme as it will reduce flood risk to the airport.

Councillor Keith Blake, cabinet member for Environment at Crawley Borough Council, said: “Some areas of Crawley have suffered substantially from flooding in the last ten years so this is great news for residents in those areas.

“These new storage reservoirs will make a huge difference to the lives of many residents in Crawley.”

Further benefits of the scheme will include an additional 5.1 hectares of biodiversity habitat through the creation of reedbeds and lowland meadows at Grattons Park, Crawley, where 300 metres of the existing concrete lined flood channel will be replaced by a naturalised channel.

The works at Tilgate Lake are anticipated to start in Summer 2010 and scheduled to finish by Autumn 2011. Crawley Borough Council have made a financial contribution to the scheme and will maintain the area around the lake.