Areas in Flintshire still at risk from flooding after a progressive scheme to take water away front he town has been put on hold

Oct 15 2009 by Francesca Elliott, Flintshire Chronicle

A MOLD resident has voiced her concern that an elaborate scheme to prevent flooding has been suspended with no start date in sight.

The Chronicle reported in August that funds for the Cae Bracty drainage scheme, due to begin next spring, were on hold for the foreseeable future.

Now Flintshire County Council has admitted this will put residents at further risk from flooding misery.

In a letter to Mold Town Council, Dave Faulkner, head of highways and transportation, said: “Due to the size of the scheme, the costs of this detailed design are significant and the council, unfortunately at the moment, do not have sufficient resources to continue... We have therefore had to temporarily suspend design of this (and other) schemes.

“Until such time as the scheme is completed, I am afraid that Cae Bracty and other properties in Mold are at risk of further flooding.”

The scheme, devised in 2000, would have seen water diverted from the top of the town and fed into the River Rhydygoleau, stopping drains from becoming overloaded after heavy rain.

Mold Town councillor Chris Bithell said: “When we had the meeting with Flintshire County Council, money wasn’t a problem.

“The area has been constantly flooded and we were promised progress.”

An 84-year-old Cae Bracty resident says she is dismayed at the news.

“We will just keep being flooded,” she said.

“I’m lucky, I have an upstairs flat, but the lady below me has had her home and all her things destroyed twice.”

“The downstairs flats are all empty while the council repair the damage.

“Why is so much money being spent on repairing the flats when maybe in a few months they will be flooded again?”