FLOODING has hit Salisbury residents hard after the Avon burst its banks over the weekend – despite millions spent on flood defences.

Homes in Ashley Road were flooded after heavy rain last week, with the route closed to traffic as households tried to battle the rising waters.

On Saturday (January 6), Wiltshire Council said a number of roads remained closed due to flooding.

They were:
Reybridge
The Wharf Lacock
B3105 Staverton (The Causeway)
B3106 Staverton (Tollgate Road)
Smallbrook Road, Warminster
Kellaways
Ashley Road, Salisbury

The river burst its banks in the new River Park area, where work is continuing on the multi million-pound project, with work affected by the floods.

The Ashley Road open space is part of the River Park project, with new flood embankments set to be installed to protect the homes and roads.

Salisbury City Councillor Victoria Charleston (Lib Dem, St Pauls) said flood defences would have to be improved in the future – as well as “not building new homes on greenfield sites and floodplains”.

In her column for your Salisbury & Avon Gazette, the Lib Dems’ Parliamentary spokesperson for Salisbury said: “I find it extraordinary that new houses are being built in Harnham with water pumps in situ.

“Local residents have resisted building on this land for exactly this reason: the flood plains provide a natural place for excess water to go.

“It is a disaster to build in this way.”

Click to open the image below in a new window:

Plans for the Salisbury River Park show a new flood defence embankment to protect Ashley Road. Click to open in a new window

“High rain and wet weather has created some high river flows for this time of year,” the latest River Park newsletter said.

“The flows in early November were the highest ever recorded for this time of year in the 60 years of records held by the Environment Agency.

“While there has been some superficial damage to parts of the construction works, which will be repaired during lower flows, a lot has still been happening on site despite the weather.”

The damage is only set to get worse after the recent rainfall.

Meanwhile, the Environment Agency says river levels are beginning to recede in the Aovn and Nadder.
“We will continue to monitor levels closely,” a spokesperson said.