Glenwood Avenue flooding finally set to end after campaign

Despairing residents in Glenwood Avenue, in Eastwood, have been at their wits’ end after repeated flooding.

The Echo understands the issue, which has been going on for five years, stems from drains which become overwhelmed during heavy downpours.

Kat King, 47, who lives in Glenwood Avenue with her husband and son, said they had forked out £5,000 for a flood gate.

She said: “We have lived here for eight years this year and we have been flooded three times.

“We were told when we moved here that it had flooded very badly before, up to shoulder height, and it had destroyed peoples houses.

“We bought this house knowing that and we were told work was going on at the top of Rayleigh Road to prevent what was causing flooding.

“It did flood again, one time due to the brook and the other time was the sheer volume of rain. Out the front of our house, it was knee deep and it was one to two inches in our house.”

Paul Collins in Glenwood Avenue (Image: Paul Collins)

Eastwood Lib Dem councillor, Paul Collins, has campaigned for more than a year to have “super-gullies” installed on the road.

It is hoped this will redirect floodwater into the drainage system.

The move follows similar work in nearby Progress Road.

Work is expected to start next month and last a number of weeks.

Mr Collins said: “It has been a long battle to get these installed and the contractor, Eurovia, will be working on it. I will not be celebrating until they are installed though, between March 4 and March 15.

“This has been something we have had to fight to get funding for. Plans have had to be worked on with Anglian Water.

“It’s not as easy as digging a hole, it has been hard and I am pleased that residents are pleased.”

Mrs King added: “It will be chaos outside my property because the gully is being built outside but if it means when it floods we will be protected, I do not care. I am going to buy all the champagne I can to celebrate.”