Councillor warns residents that flooding will get worse

A councillor said Lancing was at '˜crisis point' as floods become increasingly worse year-on-year.
The Broadway Lancing - flooding SUS-160113-105541001The Broadway Lancing - flooding SUS-160113-105541001
The Broadway Lancing - flooding SUS-160113-105541001

The residents of West Beach have yet again fallen victim to flooding.

West Way and The Broadway are among the streets that have been badly affected by the latest surge of floods in the last week.

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Adur district councillor Geoff Patmore has been campaigning to have the entire drainage network in Lancing reassessed.

But with an ambitious plan to build 600 new houses at New Marks Farm still looming, he said the situation is only going to get worse.

“The north and south flood plains are at capacity and they are at unusual levels,” he said.

“It’s become more regular and we’re reaching a crisis point.”

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Southern Water have been pumping the drains in parts of Lancing, but Mr Patmore said a more lasting solution needs to be implemented.

He said: “I’m trying to get West Sussex County Council to help. They need to have a serious look at the drainage systems across Lancing.

“We are flooding far more often than we were before, which is really odd.”

In a bid to help West Beach residents Mr Patmore has been asking them to stay vigilant during heavy rainfall.

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“I’ve told people to monitor their roads and gardens and if it goes above a certain level they need to get some flood protecting devices, but it’s very expensive – they need to cement up the wall and raise the electrics.”

Bill Freeman, of Adur Floodwatch Group, said north Lancing roads and gardens have also been affected by the recent high tides.

“From north Lancing to all housing south of the A27 at Manor Road roundabout we have ground water issues because the Downs are full of water,” he said.

Mr Freeman said the chalk in the earth which absorbs the water is now becoming over-saturated.

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He said: “We’re getting waterlogged gardens in areas and some of the sewers need resealing.”

Mr Freeman said from Grinstead Lane going south of Manor Road roundabout the manholes are overflowing and leaking into the sewers.

“All the water is also running into the Lancing Brooks ditch works.

“We are suffering drainage issues yet again and this is during moderately good weather,” he said.

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Mr Freeman said if housing on New Monks Farm is passed it would only make matters worse for the people of Lancing.

Mr Patmore added: “You can’t put a brick in a bucket and not expect it to overflow.”

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