Alconbury Brook Flood Group Report July 24th 2022

Alconbury Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme

1. Matched Funding: The scheme has already attracted a significant amount of match funding e.g. £1M +

2. Modelling: The Flood Group have been comparing the EA models for various return periods (e.g. 1 in 100 years) with recollections of flood events from 1967 onwards. Over 40 local people responded with photographs, videos and measurable points (e.g. just covered my floor) allowing us to plot their data against the flood models. There are discrepancies. The lived experiences of people who suffered flooding generally exceed the models’ estimates. It will be essential to resolve this before cost benefit calculations are made in the next stage of the business case development. We are still looking for more memories and anecdotal evidence from 1978.

3. Once the holiday season is over it has been suggested that the FG meet with Jacobs and the EA every three weeks or so.

40 Ponds project (Landscape Recovery/NFM)

1. CCC have committed £10,000 to one of our projects. The FG has met and agreed that this will be spent on an off line pond at Hamerton. A meeting with the landowner and the FG to peg-out the pond prior to making a planning application is due in the next couple of weeks.

2. CCC have committed to fund an NFM scheme above Tanglewood for the EA. Some plans have already been drawn but a site visit is needed before much more progress can be made.

3. The Farming Wildlife Advisory Group who have already committed to funding the renovation of the Black Lodge Pond are meeting with the landowner on 25/7 to confirm details before contractors are appointed.

4. 2 local contractors have visited with the FG the Black Lodge, Hamerton and another site for a 1500m3 scrape next to Buckworth Brook in order to obtain quotes.

5. The FG will make a bid for Wind Farm funding for the Buckworth Brook Scrape by August 1st.

CIL funding

1. The FG have committed to working with PCs to obtain CIL funding for

2. Refurbishment of the ford area Alconbury Weston

3. Improvement to sediment control Alconbury

Applications need to be in by end of August. Full discussions with PCs yet to be held

      Volunteer projects

The FG are starting to construct a schedule of volunteer work fore the autumn/winter which will include clearance near the Dutch arches in AW and tree clearance around the Black Lodge pond. Previous targeted areas will be re-visited.

     Alconbury Fete

A good number of visitors to our stall including many younger ones who wanted to save the doggies at Holly Lodge and the babies in the Alconbury’s by slowing the flow in the guttering models. Older ones who shared recollections of previous floods