Freuchie Flood Action Group

A follow-up letter from SEPA has maintained their objection to the proposed development at Broomfield Place.

To quote from their letter:

Thank you for your consultation letter of 5 July 2010. We maintain our objection to this planning application on the grounds of a lack of information in relation to flood risk. We will remove this objection if the issues detailed in Section 1 below are adequately addressed. However, it should be noted that an adequate solution to the flood risk issues at this site is likely to be difficult to achieve.

Advice for the planning authority

1. Flood risk

1.1 We maintain our objection to the proposed development on the grounds that it may place buildings and persons at flood risk contrary to Scottish Planning Policy and Planning Advice Note (PAN) 69 ‘Planning and Building Standards Advice on Flooding’.

 

1.2 In the event that the planning authority proposes to grant planning permission contrary to this advice on flood risk the application must be notified to the Scottish Ministers as per The Town and Country Planning (Notification of Applications) (Scotland) Direction 2009.

 

1.3 In previous correspondence dated 10 May 2010, we objected to this proposal and recommended that a flood risk assessment (FRA) be undertaken. An FRA carried out by McGregor McMahon has since been submitted and we can advise that on the 7 July 2010, SEPA met with McGregor McMahon to discuss the content of this in more detail.

 

1.4 The FRA clearly highlights that the site is at risk from flooding. A small watercourse which enters a culvert on Muir Road has in the past surcharged resulting in flood water flowing along Muir Road and down into Broomfield Place resulting in a number of houses being subjected to flooding. Within appendix F of the FRA, a number of photographs show the extent of flooding experienced in August 2008. This flood water derived from the upstream culvert eventually flows into the development site.

 

1.5 To mitigate this risk and to try and eliminate the flooding problems experienced by the existing properties on Muir Road and Broomfield Place, it is proposed to create a flood relief channel to the south of the site. The purpose of this channel is to capture any surcharged water from the culvert on Muir Road which would normally affect the above properties and proposed development site and divert it to an alternative watercourse to the east. Although this will decrease the risk of flooding to the developments on Broomfield Place and Muir Road, it will ultimately increase the risk of flooding to alternative areas, particularly the Freuchie Mill area which was severely affected by flooding in August 2008.

 

1.6 The proposal is therefore contrary to SPP as it will increase the risk of flooding to other areas. This was highlighted in our meeting with McGregor McMahon on 7 July 2010.

 

1.7 In light of the above, we maintain our objection to this proposal in relation to flood risk. We could only support the development if an alternative solution is proposed demonstrating that the development is located outwith the risk of flooding from the estimated 1 in 200 year flood event and will not increase the risk of flooding to neighbouring areas.

This advice is given without prejudice to any decision made on elements of the proposal regulated by us, which may take into account factors not considered at the planning stage.

It is heartening to see SEPA coming to the same conclusion as FFAG.

Read SEPA’s full response on the planning website:
http://planning.fife.gov.uk/online/caseFile.do?category=application&caseNo=10/00587/FULL

Technorati Tags: Broomfield Place, FFAG, flood, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Flood Action Group

The Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) is now available on the Fife Council Planning website for the proposed Broomfield Place / Millburn Place affordable housing development. Check it out here.

First off the community is disappointed that we weren’t consulted on the FRA, especially as FFAG had made a request for local consultation. As a community we have built up extensive knowledge of the local water courses and areas that flood since August 2008.

We’re also disappointed that little consideration appears to have been given to the flood risk downstream of the development, especially so at Freuchie Mill. The FRA does not appear to demonstrate a key SEPA and planning principle of not making flooding worse elsewhere.

There is also some contradiction between the information contained within this report and the Freuchie Mill report done last year. We’ll be taking this up with Fife Council to gain insight to the true state of flood risk.

Finally, the flood prevention scheme being proposed brings welcome protection to properties around about the development site, including Broomfield Place, Church Street, Millburn Place and The Feus, but it may put Fortharfield, Shiels Avenue and Freuchie Mill Road at higher risk from flooding and almost certainly will bring more frequent and/or intense flooding to Freuchie Mill.

A follow-up objection response from FFAG has been sent into Fife Council Development Services. Should appear on the planning application website in a day or so.

One final thought: two “studies” (term is used in its most generic sense) have now been completed for Freuchie and both have revealed areas at high risk from flooding. How many more times must Freuchie experience flooding before a full flood study is carried out?

Technorati Tags: Broomfield Place, Fife Council, FFAG, flood, flooding, Fortharfield, Freuchie, Freuchie Mill, Millburn Place, planning, SEPA, Shiels Avenue

A little update on the Surface Drainage Improvement works being carried out at Freuchie Mill.

The scheme has taken a little longer than expected due to uncharted utilities and water seepage impacting on the second phase of the work. Fife Council has apologised for the delay. It is now anticipated that the substantial amount of the work should be completed by the 23rd April.

FFAG appreciates the care being taken to make this scheme work more effectively. An additional few weeks of construction time is nothing in comparison with the lifetime of improvement in flood protection it will bring. The disruption to local residents has been kept to an absolute minimum and we would like to thank everyone at Fife Council for their efforts to maintain resident access and their continued hard work at Freuchie Mill.

Technorati Tags: FFAG, Fife Council, Freuchie, Freuchie Mill

Scottish Water came out this evening to repair the water mains damaged by Fife Council earlier today. The repair crew were courteous, professional and dealt with the repair in an efficient and timely manner. When it was pointed out that the chicken farm had no water, which was a threat to the survival of the 22,500 birds, the crew escalated the repair and had the water main turned off within minutes. They proceeded quickly to expose and repair the damaged section of pipe, flush the line and resume normal service for the affected consumers. 

Let’s look over the damage and repair by way of photos…

   
Photos: Scottish Water expose the damaged section of water main

 
Photos: Damaged water main

 
Photos: New section being fitted and water main being flushed out

On behalf of Freuchie Flood Action Group and the businesses and residents of Freuchie affected by this water main damage we would like to thank the Scottish Water team for their excellent service. 

John A Thomson, Chairman of FFAG, has put the team forward for a Scottish Water GEM Award for their service this evening. Hopefully their excellence will be acknowledged as they are a credit to Scottish Water.

Technorati Tags: FFAG, Fife, Fife Council, Freuchie, Freuchie Flood Action Group, GEM Award, John A Thomson, Scottish Water, water main

During tonight’s Freuchie Community Council meeting the issue of the Lomond Homes development for affordable housing to be owned and operated by Kingdom Housing at Broomfield Place was mentioned. The developer has now submitted plans which has some concern for FFAG, the most glaring of which is the developers haven’t been able to get a response from SEPA about the flooding risk in this area. We will be discussing this further with both Lomond Homes and Kingdom Housing to ensure the best outcome for the village and to minimise the flood risk for existing members of the community as well as the new homes.

The community council would like to further consult with the community about this development and have pencilled in the evening of the 24th March 2010 for a public meeting. It will start at 7:30pm in the Lumsden Memorial Hall.

Technorati Tags: FFAG, Freuchie, Freuchie Community Council, Kingdom Housing, Lomond Homes, SEPA

SEPA has issued a Flood Watch for Fife.

FLOOD WATCH

This statement was prepared on 19 November 2009 at 7:03 am.

A FLOOD WATCH has been issued for Fife and Clackmannanshire rivers.

A band of rain will stagnate over Clackmannanshire today with widespread totals of 25 to 40mm at low levels and 50 to 60mm over the higher ground. As the ground is already saturated localised flooding is expected.

This FLOOD WATCH is now in force until further notice.

Please continue to keep an eye on the situation in your area and listen to local radio and television for further information.

The Met Office has also issued an Advisory of Severe or Extreme Weather for Fife that covers today and tomorrow:

There is a moderate risk of severe weather affecting many western parts of Britain. During Thursday very wet and windy conditions are expected at times with widespread rain and gales in places with winds gusting around 60 MPH. Rain will be heavy at times, especially over windward hills and mountains. Rainfall accumulations of 30 to 50mm are expected through the whole period with locally over 80mm mainly across higher ground.

Issued at: 0645 Thu 19 Nov

The weather forecast over the next 36 hours isn’t too good. Ensure you are prepared to deploy flood defences and you have moved all valuables, and anything else you can’t afford to lose, to an upstairs room or attic.

For those of you who been following our Twitter account, you may have noticed Freuchie Mill residents were heading to Cupar to collect sandbags to dam off Freuchie Mill Road and to fully protect the few homes that haven’t yet got flood doors. We got there to discover Fife Council would rather bring them out to us on this occasion.

FFAG committee members have also inspected sites around the village and further afield to ensure we have a handle on potential flooding. You may well have seen us out at 5am touring the village.

We have discovered the water draining off the railway is causing flooding at the chicken farm, water that ultimately ends up at Freuchie Mill.

Technorati Tags: Cupar, FFAG, Fife Council, flood, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Flood Action Group, Met Office, SEPA

The Times carried an interesting story on Saturday where it was reported that a civil engineer from Sheffield University argued for roads to be adapted to serve as stand-by rivers during flash floods. This is certainly an appropriate solution that could be used as one part of the flood prevention and protection work at Freuchie Mill.

Members of FFAG has been voicing this as a favoured and very plausible solution for some time now, so we’re gratified to learn we are in esteemed company with our thoughts. This solution doesn’t have the same flood water capacity handling issues as many of the other civil engineering designs put forward so far.

Thanks go to Terri of Freuchie Community Council for spotting this article and passing it along to us.

Technorati Tags: Freuchie , Freuchie Community Council, Freuchie Flood Action Group, FFAG, Sheffield University, The Times

60mm of rainfall overnight has seen areas of England and Wales affected by flooding. Our hearts goes out to the communities affected by this latest tragedy. We hope a minimal amount of business and homes are wrecked by the flood waters. More information can be found at this BBC news article.

This should be a timely reminder that rainfall events such as we saw last summer in Freuchie are now part of the norm. Let us all redouble of efforts in the campaign to improve flood prevention and protection for Freuchie.

As a starting point, you may like to come along to the public consultation meeting next week, which has been organised by FFAG and Freuchie Community Council. We’ve added another speaker to the evening!

Technorati Tags: England, FFAG, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Community Council

Mike Russell MSP, Minister for the Environment, has unfortunately had to call off his visit to Freuchie today. His office called a short time ago to let us know. They will be back in touch to reschedule the visit for another date.

Apologies to our invited guests, residents and the media who were so looking forward to the Minister’s visit. We will be back in touch soon to let you know the new date.

Technorati Tags: FFAG, flooding, flood, Freuchie, Freuchie Flood Action Group, Mike Russell, Minister for the Environment

Liz Rougvie of the Fife Herald has written an excellent front page story on the formation of Freuchie Flood Action Group and reported on the tragedy of Kay’s story. You couldn’t ask for more than to be the biggest story in Fife this week.

Thanks Liz.

Technorati Tags: FFAG, flooding, Freuchie, Freuchie Flood Action Group. Fife Herald, Liz Rougvie