Work is progressing well on a flood alleviation scheme that will protect over 50 properties in the village.
The scheme aims to reduce the risk of flooding by improving the pipework capacity, creating a new outfall into the River Witham, and installing new gullies and manholes to help manage the drainage.
The project comes after 23 homes and two businesses in Long Bennington were flooded after extreme heavy rain in August 2015. And since the 2015 flash flood, a further seven homes in the village have experienced flooding on different occasions.
Work on the scheme started in May on land behind the Royal Oak pub. In early July, parking restrictions and temporary traffic lights will come into effect on Main Road in Long Bennington as work starts on the road and grass verges.
The project represents a £1.34m investment in drainage infrastructure in the village and should be finished by the end of September 2023.
Cllr Colin Davie, executive member for environment at Lincolnshire County Council, said:
“Many residents in Long Bennington will still remember the devastating impacts flooding has had in their community, and so I’m pleased to see work progressing well to better protect their homes and businesses. By carrying out much of the work under temporary traffic lights rather than full road closures, we’re also hoping to keep the disruption of building works to a minimum.
“The world is changing; flooding incidents are becoming more common and we need to take action and adapt, to protect our communities.
“Flood alleviation in one of the council’s key priorities, and I’m proud to say that we as a council are leading the way, working with our partners, and investing in projects just like this one that protect our residents and communities.”
Cllr Alexander Maughan, county councillor for Long Bennington in the Hough Division, added:
"The flood alleviation works demonstrate Lincolnshire County Council's commitment to protect homes and businesses in Long Bennington with £1.34m of investment in new drainage infrastructure.
“This will deliver village-wide benefits and reduce the risk of future flash flooding in our village. I am delighted to see works commencing on the ground after many years of hard work bringing this scheme to fruition."
Roads in the village will remain open for much of the works, with only two road closures due to take place in August and September. In mid-August Vicarage Lane will be closed for up to ten days, followed by Welbourne’s Lane, which will be closed for a week. Details of these road closures will be advertised on site in advance.
The project is being funded with £441,000 from Lincolnshire County Council, £248,000 from Anglian Water, and £654,000 from the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Grant in Aid Funding.
For more information about water management in the county, go to www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/flood-risk-management.