The process to build a comprehensive Gilberdyke flood prevention scheme is almost complete.  A final consultation on the proposals is to be carried out on Thursday 20^th May 2010 at the Gilberdyke Village Hall Youth Building between noon and 7pm, where Parish Councillors and representatives from The East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Lower Ouse internal drainage Board will be available.

It is proposed by the ERYC to install a new surface water drain from Westbrook Crescent to Far Drain. The drain will be installed along the rear of the houses West and South of Westbrook Road, running along a short section of Station Road before turning to run along the route of the dyke between the gardens of the properties on Scalby Lane and some properties on Greenacre Park and Chestnut Drive.  The majority of the drain will be constructed using perforated pipework between from 300mm to 900mm diameter, surrounded by gravel to allow surface water to drain into the line.  Existing surface water drains will be diverted into this new drain.  The final section along the rear of Skitam Lodge leading to Far Drain will be an open dyke.

Sections of the proposed drain will be new, whilst other sections will replace lengths of open dyke as well as lengths that have been piped by householders, giving a vastly improved system serving a considerable number of properties in the village.  These include Sandholme Road, Clementhorpe Road, St Stephens, Hansard Drive/Crescent, Willow Green, Chapel Garth and sections of Station Road, Bellasize Park, Green Acre Park, Chestnut Drive, Scalby Lane, and Sandholme Park

The important aspect of this proposal is the effect on those properties not directly benefiting, by ensuring that during times of rainfall the pressure will be significantly reduced on the existing surface and foul water system, into which the surface water from almost all the remainder of the properties within the village discharge. 

The whole village will certainly benefit during times of very heavy rainfall, but in addition, evidence shows that potential increases in household insurance premiums as a result of the 2007 flooding are being reduced in flooded and non-flooded areas of the village as a consequence of the proposals, once the insurance companies are made aware.

This work is a great example of organisations working in partnership, Gilberdyke Parish Council is working with both the East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the Lower Ouse Internal Drainage Board to develop a joined up approach to managing flood risk in Gilberdyke.

The work is going to be carried out by contractors supervised by the Lower Ouse Internal Drainage Board who will also be providing funding and work in kind.  The East Riding of Yorkshire Council was successful in obtaining £4m European Grant Aid to which an additional £0.5m was added from the Council funding, from this £85,000 has been identified to carry out works in the Parish of Gilberdyke.  It is important to understand that it is the ERYC not the Gilberdyke Parish Council who's plans and developement project it is.  Contrary to rumour the Gilberdyke Parishy Council is only assisting with the project with funding and communication with the project and thje parish memebrs.

The Parish Council will also be required to contribute funding, this is planned to be raised by taking a short-term loan at a very low interest rate, the repayment of which is hoped would be limited to a maximum cost of approximately 35p per week per household paid through the Council Tax, which would be payable for a period of 4 years.  This figure may well be reduced when the accumulated savings made by the Parish Council for the past and current year are fully realised.

The Drainage Board and its contractors will work with residents to ensure the minimum of disruption, and it is hoped that the work will be carried out during the year.

8/08/2010

The loan has since been given the green light and the build is likely now to be started by the end of the summer.