Tilling Green on the brink of flooding
Residenta at Rye's Tilling Green estate are increasingly worried their homes would flood.
The situation was described as "dire" by one Rye councillor this week.
Their fears were underlined with last week's torrential rain which left much of the estate under water.
Problems were bad at nearby Old Brickyard where flooding was only averted by a householder calling out a private firm to pump water away.
There are concerns about the extend of the flooding, even though there was a low tide last week.
A combination of heavy rain and a high tide could spell disaster say residents.
Thee are also concerns that the problem could worsen due to run-off from a major new housing estate to be built on the hill above Tilling Green.
Rye councillor Granfville Bantick said: "There was bad flooding on February 26 and the situation did not improve in subsequent days.
"Residents I visited have said they are becoming increasingly worried that the flooding will reach their homes.
It seems the pumping station in Marley Road is not functioning.
"The river water is just flooding through the drains and not being pumped away.
"There is no doubt in my mind, and in the minds of those who understand the situation, that when the Udimore Road development is built there will be a catastrophic flood in the estate with the enormous run off which the attenuation basins will not be able to cope.
" I contacted Southern Water who admitted the pumping stations were their responsibility.
"I told them how it had been reported to me by local residents that the pumping station in Marley Road had been out of action for some weeks.
"Southern water promised to send someone out to inspect the pumping station, but to date no one has been near.
"I noticed the police had closed Marley Road.
"Mr Hobbes at No 63 Marley Road and his neighbour Mr Vicarey at No 67 have tried contacting the Environment Agency about the drains but it seems it is not their responsibility.
"So concerned are Cllr Mary Smith and I over the dire situation it has been decided that the CDR Group will be calling a Public meeting where we hope to have representatives from the EA, Southern Water and the Internal Drainage Board to answer questions.
" have asked Rother's Planning Dept to confirm to me that there will be no building works of any kind started on the Udimore Road development until the planned attenuation basins are constructed.
"Personally I doubt during the worst of the deluges we have experienced that these basins will cope from a field where the sub soil is clay covered in concrete and tarmac where at present the run off has to be seen to be believed!
"Despite warnings to the Environment Agency the banks of the Tillingham have not been raised. One has to ask whether the so called "experts" who allowed this scheme to go ahead will compensate the residents of Tilling Green when the estate is flooded?"
Marley Road resident Ernie Vicarey said: "The water was right outside my home. This happens several times a year and it is very worrying for the residents.
"The new house building wil make things much worse.
"Southern Water and the Environment Agency should get together to find a solution before it is too late."
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Weather for St Leonards-on-Sea
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: 1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 2 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
