No help for flood-prone Herefordshire village Eardisland

In April last year the government and the Environment Agency (EA) announced that Eardisland, a historic village straddling the river Arrow west of Leominster, would be among 53 “repeatedly flooded communities” to share in £26 million of flood protection measures.

Although the EA followed this up by surveying all its vulnerable properties, the village has yet to see a penny of the promised property flood resilience (PFR) measures. Meanwhile it has flooded twice this year, most recently in October.

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Parish councillor Rebecca Rhys-Evans said the EA “have now promised another meeting with villagers around Christmas – but they were supposed to start the work in summer”.

At a recent public meeting with local MP Ellie Chowns in the village hall – which itself was hit by flooding in October – nearly 100 villagers made their feeling known.

Eardisland during recent floods (Image: Chris Bivand) “It’s a hot topic, affecting so many people,” Coun Rhys-Evans said, adding that a letter she has since received from the EA “has only made me more frustrated”.

She explained that October’s flood had left the village cut off for 48 hours, with the fire brigade having to wade through the water to help one elderly resident, now living in a caravan.

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Ms Chowns said after the meeting that villagers were “understandably very concerned about flooding”, adding: “I promised to follow up on a number of issues they raised with me, including on support from the EA.”

An EA spokesperson said: “We appreciate the devastating impacts that flooding like this has and want to reassure residents that we are working hard to progress the delivery of a scheme, which is affordable within the funding available.

“We are continuing to liaise with the parish council and MP and should have a further update for the community before Christmas.”