Council leader ‘glad’ he moved away from east London estate identified as major flood risk

A council leader has told of his relief that he no longer resides on a council estate now deemed a major flood risk zone.

Barking and Dagenham Labour council leader Dominic Twomey has said he is “glad” he no longer lives on the Rylands Estate in Oval Road North, where he called home for “many years”.

He added he “would never have imagined” it would be part of an area at risk of flooding.

Cllr Twomey said: “I’m glad I no longer live where I used to live.

“Some of the areas here – middle of the borough – are not at risk from the rivers.

“But that flooding because of other drainage issues is quite a worrying development, particularly with the changing weather that’s now coming forward, you can see that flooding through drainage issues more and more and more.”

The estate is one of four areas in Barking and Dagenham borough facing a “significant” flood risk, according to a new council flood strategy.

The flooding risk at Rylands Estate comes from water diverted by flood defences at the River Beam and Wantz Stream, according to a new draft flood risk management strategy.

The strategy says that “properties at risk lie mainly on Ballards Close, Ballards Road and the eastern end of School Road” while “several further properties on Oval Road North” are also at risk.

Oval Road North, Dagenham

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It adds that 16 homes could be flooded in a one-in-30 year flooding event.

Homes are at less risk from flooding around Parsloes Park – 76 homes could be flooded in a one-in-75 year event.

Elsewhere in the borough, some 48 homes are at risk around Heathway Industrial Estate – mainly on Rainham Road North and Panyers Gardens – because they sit on the historic path of the Wantz Stream, which is now diverted underground in a culvert.

Westrow Drive is also at risk of flooding by water diverted by flood defences elsewhere, with 18 homes at risk.

The draft strategy says surface water flowing towards the Mayes Brook is blocked by a flood defence, causing it to “pond in the residential area behind it”.

The draft flood risk management strategy proposes four projects to protect homes in those areas. These include building a flood bank in Old Dagenham Park to protect Rylands Estate, at a cost of around £212,337.

The plan also says the Gores Brook – which is diverted beneath Parsloes Park – should be de-culverted to run through it openly, at a cost of some £808,513.

The council has applied for grant funding for a flood water storage scheme in Rainham Road North.